3 Simple Steps to a Better Workday

Steps to a Better WorkdayBy Alan Carniol

In just a few minutes each day, you can improve your productivity at work, your overall level of happiness, and the functioning of your body. Here are 3 steps that can improve the flow of your workday.

 

1. Take a cigarette-free smoke break

Why is it only smokers get to take breaks outside?

Though I don’t recommend smoking, I do suggest a few minutes’ break to walk around outside on a daily basis.

Taking any type of break has been proven by psychology researchers to improve your productivity and keep your brain sharp. And a number of other research studies have shown that going for a walk can further improve your brain’s functioning.

Plus, sunlight has huge health and wellness benefits. Getting sunlight each day has been proven to protect against depression, insomnia and even an overactive immune system. In addition, your body needs sunlight in order to produce vitamin D, which is known to decrease your risk of cancer, heart dis-ease, and osteoporosis.

2. Improve your body posture

Have you heard me mention Harvard Researcher Amy Cuddy?

In her research, she found that sitting certain ways changes the hormones in your body to increase your level of confidence and decrease stress. She also found that certain other postures will have the opposite effect, by increasing your body’s level of stress hormones and decreasing your level of confi-dence-inducing hormones.

How are you sitting right now?

When we are hunched over in front of a computer screen, guess what happens?

With our back curled, legs crossed and arms pushed in, we are in fact putting our body into one of the positions that Cuddy found was a stress-inducer, and confidence shrinker.

To put yourself in a more confident, happier state, mind your posture. Sit with your shoulders back, feet planted on the floor or your legs stretched in front of you, and your elbows out. If you want, grab a lumbar pillow to support your lower back.

3. Keep your brain and body fed

Do you know anyone who gets cranky when they are hungry?

This crankiness is due to an in drop blood sugar, the fuel for your brain and your body.

Though your brain is only 2% of your body weight, it consumes 20% of your total calories. So, when your body doesn’t get the flow of nutrients it needs, that feedback very quickly reaches your brain. As a result, you don’t think as well and you are irritable to boot.

To keep your brain sharp and stay positive, keep a steady flow of nutrients coming in. Depending on your biology and what you eat, blood sugar dips three to five hours after a meal. To ensure an even blood sugar level, have at least one small snack in the middle of the afternoon. Fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, and nuts are all great snacks.

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Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.