Managing Energy In The Workplace

Managing energy is not just about food. It's about managing work conditions that affect how your body releases energy. These include managing stress, oxygen levels, exercise levels and rest. Work demands can quickly shift energy so you need to have a few tricks up your sleeve to increase your energy supply to help you physically and mentally.

Brain Protein Consumption

The neurons in your brain are largely made of fat. Brain cells communicate with each other using neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are made up of amino acids; protein building blocks. Another important amino acid is tyrosine.

Eating tyrosine protein levels in the brain, helping the brain generate non-epinephrine and dopamine. These chemicals promote vigilance. Absorption of protein is assisted by carbohydrates. Therefore, eating a good supply of carbohydrates and protein throughout the day will ensure that the brain tissue is absorbed and avoids the 3pm black hole.

Top 10 Labor Day Guidelines

1. 
   Start the day off well - Treat your bed as an important energy supply station and make sure you book long enough to complete the process. That means 7 to 9 hours a night.


2. 
   Try the first exercise - even 20 minutes will increase your body's oxygen supply and keep your head thinking during the day. It's often harder to feel at the end of the day. If morning is not your thing - the evening can still work. Try it yourself. Switch to exercise gear as soon as you get home. Turn on the television or put on a DVD, instead of going to the couch, sitting on a exercise bike or yoga with some weight. Seconds later the brain starts to visualize and before you know it an hour has passed.


3. 
   Make sure the body is supplied with fuel - Eat small, healthy snacks every few hours of protein and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide rapid energy release, while proteins provide long lasting energy.


4. 
   Keep your body hydrated - Air conditioning is very dry on your system, and includes the brain.


5. 
   Take some oxygen rest - If you don't have time for lunch, take at least a 10-minute walk around the block or wherever there is more oxygen than car smoke. I'm using a running catch-up. If a staff member wants to talk about something briefly, I'll take the two of us for a walk.


6. 
   Try to boost your energy during the day - some deep breathing [preferably not during a phone call to the CEO]; taking the stairs instead of the elevator or just standing up doing a few feet all helps to move the oxygen around the body and improve the cell's energy production process. I keep a little weight on my desk and it's amazing what you can do during a phone call!


7. 
   Keep good snacks at work - Protein balls are my favorite. I make them on Sundays and they spend all week in the fridge. [that is, if I didn't eat it all on Thursday]. I used it for a low zone snack at 3pm and as a mental pick-me-up before entering a long meeting.


8. 
   Reduce alcohol throughout the week - try to get down to a glass one night - you'll be amazed at how easy it is to get out of bed in the morning and you'll be more likely to feel like doing that early in the morning. And your skin will look great!


9. 
   Go over coffee - Caffeine is not a good long-term solution to energy all day long. It is addictive and it is best to leave one cup first thing in the morning. You'll sleep better too.


10. 
    Reduce the size of the evening meal and avoid the carbohydrates after 6pm - you will find that you sleep better and that translates into more energy during the day.

And if you want to contribute to a renewable energy supply in the world - take a leaf from gymnastics enthusiast like Doug Woodwring who leverages the energy generated from daily workouts and transforms them into usable power.

------------------