If you’re working lots of hours a week and have a particularly high stress, high responsibility, busy job, then you likely know how easy it is to feel burnt out and run down by your work. Luckily, the steps you need to take are pretty simple to help you have better energy, better mood, better control of your stress, and less aches and pains.
Here’s one seemingly common sense, simple strategy that will absolutely help you:
Eat real food before your workday
It’s not a good idea to go to work on an empty stomach. Humans need calories to function, especially if your job has you working on your feet. How many times have you eaten very little or nothing at all in the morning, becoming ravenously hungry at the most inconvenient times during the day? Not eating when you need to technically sends the signal to your body that you’re in danger. This is a stressor!
Your body responds by cranking out stress hormones – often leaving you anxious, agitated and in fight-or-flight until you’ve eaten. When this happens chronically, your body begins to break down over time, leaving you feeling worse and worse as time goes on. Stress is not conducive to healing!
Always make sure to get something in you before you start your shift. If you’re not hungry in the morning, make it something small. Just try it. I promise you’ll get used to it.
Also, make sure it’s real actual food, please! A lean protein + veggies is a good template, or a low sugar protein smoothie if you’re pressed for time. Muffins don’t count, sorry 🙂
Do this if you want to cruise through your shift with less irritability and better energy.
