Before we can jump into how a healthy life increases productivity, let us talk about what exactly is a healthy lifestyle.
The term is quite broad and encompasses of quite a few things.
Eating healthy, regular exercise and having emotional well being are just some of the things that you should focus on; a small thing such as drinking water benefits us as well. Small changes in our lives can lead to a healthier lifestyle. Now let us see why we should be bringing these changes.
Studies show that if a person exercises for as little as 20minutes a day their brain grows. What does this mean? Exercise helps increase brain plasticity. This means that your brain is able to develop new connections and can thus be more active.
Exercise increases your heartbeat which helps pump more blood all over your body. More blood means more oxygen. This provides a healthy environment for brain cells to grow. Exercise thus helps brain development in several ways. Exercising in the morning boosts your memory retention. Aerobics is also known to help in the repairing of damaged brain cells. The best exercise for the brain is something which does not involve repetition but also lets you keep your mind active, such as dancing.
Fad-diets have become extremely common, especially in women. They go on detox diets and mono-fruit diets. These can be quite unhealthy if done for a longer period of time. We aren’t saying that detox is bad for you but only that they should be done on a weekend where you do not have any work pressure. Over eating has a negative impact on you in a similar way. Too much junk food and sodas can be extremely detrimental for one’s productivity.
Haven’t you seen how overweight people are often not employed at an office? No, we are not saying that ‘all fat people are lazy’ but the reason this is a perspective is because over eating can often make you sluggish. Similarly eating too little can make you sluggish too. It is important that one not only eats the right amount but has a balanced diet so to get all the necessary minerals and vitamins. According to the World Health Organization:
Adequate nutrition can raise your productivity levels by 20 percent on average.
So your mum was always right; eat your vegetables!
No surprise there. A lot of people get very anxious under pressure. Some anxiety can be positive but too much anxiety may backfire. If a person is always too anxious, they might want to be extremely productive but they can never be efficient. Other mental issues such as depression or alcoholism also significantly reduce one’s productivity. If there are problems at home, something with one’s spouse, it may be detrimental to how productive a person is at the office.
The logic behind this is quite simple. Once your brain is preoccupied with something else, you will not be able to concentrate on work. If your brain is not working properly, the symptoms are often displayed physically. You may develop a bad headache, sweat profoundly or have stomach problems. With any of these physical symptoms, you may need to take frequent breaks or say at home altogether. It is better to address any mental issue before it gets out of hand and takes over. Good mental health leads to a happier person. A happy person is a productive person.
Of course, the path to a healthy lifestyle will not be so simple. The first step of it is evaluation; this is where you see where you are standing at the moment. Get an appointment with the doctor and go for a check-up. Figure out what your BMI is and how much and what sort of exercise you require. It is also important to see the people you are surrounded by and how they make you feel about yourself. These are only the initial steps.
Now we understand how difficult it may be to incorporate so many life changes. However, it may seem tough at first but once your productivity increases you will gain back whatever time you think you may have lost. Set small goals for yourself a first, there is no need for a drastic or sudden change. Your body will resist any sudden change so it is better to be slow than reach back the start because you found it too tough.
Sarah is a Senior Writer for OLWOMEN.com, an avid reader, fashion and make up enthusiast who simply lives to write and talk about all kinds of stuff. Focusing on How to get rid of Acne & researching the best ways regarding how to get rid of love handles.
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