6 Tips to Boost Your Brainpower at Work

Feeling drained? Before submitting the poor output and provoking your nasty boss to ask “Did you color your hair blonde again?” here are easy ways to revive your spirit and boost your brainpower:

1. Power Snack

The name says it all. You need to have snacks at work in order to have enough power to help you get through the day. Eating, especially in the afternoon, keeps your blood sugar even, gives you energy, and keeps you in good disposition. Snacking also controls your appetite until you complete your work day. What you are eating during snack time is also important. Instead of reaching for blood-sugar-spiking snack food like cookies and bags of chips, consider dried fruits, nuts, or organic raw food bars, which give you stable energy and brain-boosting nutrients. Warning: don’t resort to snacking when stressed-out or it could become a coping mechanism. When deadlines, meetings, etc. are making you anxious, try #5.

2. Hydrate

The feeling of being drained is your body’s way of telling that it needs to be hydrated. The neurons in your brain cannot perform properly if not hydrated enough. FYI: 80% of your brain is made of water. Aside from water, juices made from fruits and vegetables are also good for the brain. They have high levels of antioxidants that protect the brain cells from damage. Also, studies show that people who consume more fruit and vegetable juices are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

3. One Task at a Time

Try not to multitask that much. Switching back and forth between projects exhausts your brain. When dealing with a long to-do list, perform one task at a time then switch to another task when you get tired or worn out. Switching projects engages different areas of your brain, thus making you mentally alert.

4. Power Nap

A short nap of about 15 to 30 minutes is most effective to improve mental performance. Not only does it allow your body to pay any sleep debt and help you feel more rested, it also reverses the information overload in your brain and strengthens the connection of neurons involved in muscle memory – making your brain work faster and more accurate. For a normal 8-hour day shift, workers in nap-friendly offices usually take power naps during their midday breaks. If napping is not allowed in the work setting, you can do it inside your car. If you are not that fond of napping, take a moment of silence. Close your eyes and meditate. This will clear your mind and maybe even train your body to nap. If you’re having trouble sleeping at night, check out these 10 hacks to help you get better sleep.

5. Laugh Break

Loosen up. Take time to laugh by chatting with co-workers (who are also taking a break, of course) or watch a couple of entertaining videos on YouTube. It’s the act of laughing –or even the anticipation of a good laugh– that counteracts stress and poor mind functioning by decreasing the stress chemicals cortisol and epinephrine. Not only does laughing invigorate your spirit, it is also good for the heart. Laughing keeps you safe from vasoconstriction (the narrowing of the blood vessels), because your blood vessels expand when you are having a happy moment or watching funny scenes.

6. Stretching

There are simple stretching exercises you can do at your desk to ease back pain, relieve nervous tension, relax stressed muscles, and boost energy. Many of these can be done effortlessly at your desk – sitting and standing without using the hands for support, inhaling deeply and shrugging your shoulders, or shaking your head slowly. You can also stretch as you walk towards a nearby coworker’s table instead of chatting with her on the internet. Instead of eating at your desk, it is best if you walk to a nearby eating place to get some blood flow.

Or, if you have the privilege to bring work to the comfort of your home, you can actually take some moments to dance! Dancing helps stimulate the mind – from coordination to organization, to planning and judgment. How cool is that??

What do you do to keep yourself motivated throughout the day?