THE LAWYERS WEEKLY
September 17, 2010 | 21
BUSINESS
CAREERS
Adding a little omph to a day that drags
DONALEE MOULTON
Yawning while the senior partner is
speaking is not the smartest career move,
but flagging energy is a daily problem for
everyone in the office. Fortunately, there
are ways to put a little oomph back into
your body— and your work.
The danger period for most people
comes after lunch and before quitting
time. According to a new survey of sen-
ior managers from Accountemps, an
international staffing firm, afternoon
is the most common time for
workers to hit a wall. Thirty-
two per cent of managers
surveyed said 4 p.m. to 6
p.m. is the least product-
ive time of day for
employees. Coming in
second was the 2 p.m. to
4 p.m. time slot.
“Many professionals are
more energetic in the mor-
ning and may become tired
by the time the afternoon
rolls around. Plus, eating a
larger meal at lunchtime may
also cause an afternoon slow-
down in productivity,” said
Anna Montesano, branch
manager with Accountemps
in Vancouver.
Avoiding the post-lunch
doldrums starts with break-
fast. This will give your day a
jump start, said Shannon Crocker, a
registered dietician and nutrition con-
sultant based in Ancaster, Ont. She rec-
ommends foods that provide lots of
carbohydrates for energy such as whole-
grain breads and cereals as well as fruit.
Protein and a little fat are also
important to keep you feeling satisfied
longer and to keep your blood sugar
levels steady over more hours in the day.
“Without a source of protein, certain
carbohydrates can cause a quick rise in
blood glucose—making you feel ener-
gized—but this quick source of energy
will not last long. The protein coupled
with the carbohydrate will extend that
release of glucose, keeping the energy
levels up over an extended period of
“Green tea...
contributes to fluid
intake and contains
antioxidants that
some research
suggests keeps
your brain working
effectively,” says
registered dietician
Shannon Crocker.
“Some people reach for coffee after coffee during the day to give them energy, but coffee doesn’t actually give you energy. It’s a stimulant, so you do feel more alert, but the ffects wear off leaving your body looking for more,” says registered ietician Shannon Crocker.
time,” explained Angela Dufour, a regis-
tered dietitian and owner of Nutrition
in Action, a private nutrition practice in
Bedford, N.S.
The mix of carbohydrates and pro-
tein is often a delicious one. “For
example,” noted Crocker, “oatmeal
with slivers of almonds and dollop of
yogurt, peanut butter on whole-wheat
toast, whole grain cereal with berries
and milk.”
For those with more exotic tastes,
try quinoa, a grain from South Amer-
ica that contains an unusually high
amount of protein. “Quinoa is a
good source of Vitamin B2
which is crucial for energy
production by assisting in
the breakdown of the
fuels our bodies need,”
said Dufour.
Our bodies need to be
fueled regularly. “Eat every
three to four hours to make
sure your body has a steady
supply of energy over the day
so your blood glucose levels
don’t drop, which can leave
you feeling low down on the
energy scale,” said Crocker.
“Enjoy small, healthy
snacks like fresh fruit,
yogurt, a small hand-
ful of nuts and
dried fruit, or
small whole-
grain muffins,”
she added. “Bring these
snacks with you so you
can avoid the vending
machine snack crash in
the middle of the day.”
The healthy food
choices are often high in
fiber, another important
element in keeping your
energy up. “Fiber helps
prevent constipation, which
can make you feel sluggish,”
noted Dufour.
When your eyelids start to droop,
shake it off, said Montesano. “If you
feel your energy beginning to dip,
stretch or take a short walk to recharge.
See Energy Page 23
DREAMSTIME.COM
