Feel More Positive & Productive – Our Wellness in the Workplace Series
30 Foods Per Week Challenge
A bit of healthy competition can be a great motivational tool. I’ve found that simple challenges work really well to encourage healthy habit change in an office setting. My 30 plant-based foods in a week challenge is easy, fun and gets great results for people getting more veg and fibre into their diets without much effort. Increasing vegetable and more specifically fibre intake is incredibly beneficial for the microbiome, which plays a role in cognitive function. If you want to help the team hit their goals then a Fruit Salad Box or Vegetable Crudite Box are a great way to increase the tally.
Balanced Meals
This is THE most crucial change to implement to support energy levels and optimise your brain power. Every time we eat during the day, our body experiences a rise in blood sugar levels. Depending on the foods we choose (as well as our individual sensitivity to blood sugar spikes) we can make choices to help maintain more balanced blood sugar levels. Lots of blood sugar spikes and consequent dips result in feelings of low energy throughout the day (3-4pm slump anyone?). A balanced meal is one that has a protein, healthy fat and carbohydrate component. Some of my favourites from the Pure menu include the Celebrity Skin Salad and the new Mexican Chicken Pure Bowl (available in Pure shops rather than catering for the time being!).
Schedule a Coffee + Walk Meeting
One of the best ways to support our body’s daily rhythm and our stress response is to make sure we get out into natural light as much as possible. This can have a really beneficial impact on sleep and we all know how crucial a restorative night is to get your brain fired up for the next day.
An added bonus is that positive interactions throughout the day, with people we don’t know, as well as with colleagues, have been shown to have a significant positive impact on mental health. So why not organise a walking meeting that gets the team out into natural light and pick up a Pure coffee on your way, for that positive interaction with the team.
Emotional Check Ins
According to the McKinsey Health Institute, some of the biggest factors contributing to burnout in workplaces is down to culture. In addition, they report a significant gap between employer and employee perceptions on efficacy of workplace mental health initiatives. So why not ensure that your team knows they have people they can speak with about their concerns, whether related to workload, company culture or organisational issues. The more you know about how the team is feeling the more you can take the additional steps to create a more positive and motivational environment.
Marjolein x