Poor physical health can have severe and life-altering side effects that could seep into every area of your life, mind, and affect your productivity.
The modern 24-hour lifestyle and the 9-5 workplace is a highly stressful environment. Top that up with the bad unhealthy diet. Almost one in five of us are suffering from severe work stress, lack of sleep, bad diet and unhealthy body at any one time. Life and work both move faster than ever before and with the advent of modern technology –always connected nature, our workdays are lasting longer and sometimes, not finishing at all even when we are supposed to be sleeping.
But a stressed or anxious brain can cause all kinds of problems for the workplace and your life in general. It is estimated that workplace stress is costing the UK, both financially and in terms of our health. According to a study done in 2014 an estimated 11.3 million workdays, a year are lost due to stress and anxiety or depression in the UK. That’s costing businesses more than £3.7 billion. Leaving the financial loss aside, you need to ask – What is this costing you in terms of a healthy body and mind? How much is your productivity suffering as a result of a stressed-out body and mind?
Why a healthy body leads to a productive mind?
Your mind as in the brain, functions on the electrical pulse. These electrical singles then carry out all the required connections and communications required to enable you as a person to function. Your body which has all the limbs and muscles, function on many-many chemicals which are created in your body as a result of what you eat.
If you continuously eat unhealthy fatty foods, sugary foods or nothing at all. Then your body will not be operating at the optimum level required for it to function correctly or be able to provide sufficient nutrients to your brain for your mind to function correctly.
If your mind and body do not work correctly and at the best level possible then that will impact your ability to do your day-to-day activities, therefore reducing your productivity.
What to eat for a healthy body?
There are so many healthy foods, that I am not going to list them here. However, in simple terms eat fresh vegetables, fruits and drink plenty of water daily. Cut back on sugary foods, fatty foods and bad things like alcohol, cigarettes and any other types of recreational drugs that some people take these days.
Along with a healthy diet, increase your level of physical training. You don’t have to go to the gym every day, but simply walking, running or cycling daily for 20-40 minutes should be sufficient to maintain a good general level of healthy body and mind.
What can you do for a healthy mind?
For a healthy mind, try not to get too worried over everything. Sleep 7-8 hours per day (easily said than done – I know). One must try to get as much rest as possible. Exercise your brain, by reading, brain training or playing board games if you have time.
Try not to multitask, it only tires your brain without too much productivity gain. Focus on what you need to complete the most and get that done, worry not about what you cannot complete, add it to a task list for the following day.
Try to finish work early, take a walk, shower or just sit back and relax. Stress and worry will not result in a healthy mind, but one that is confused and unproductive. In summary, eating well and regular exercise will give you a healthy body, add to that with plenty of sleep and rest, reduced stress and working hours, top that with plenty of game and relaxation time to give you a healthy mind.
