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Is That Morning Cup of Coffee Ruining Your Productivity?

Can you envision an office without coffee? It is hard to imagine an office without employees walking around with a cup of Joe in their hands or colleagues chatting around the coffee machine. For many, it is impossible to open their eyes without their morning cup of coffee. Coffee stimulates energy and increases productivity. However, how much of this is just our imagination?

A Coffee Experiment

An experiment intended to determine just how productive coffee makes us and how it impacts our performance. The researchers connected an office coffee machine to a telemetry device capable of counting the number of coffees made and the time of the day. Next, the team cross-referenced the peak coffee consumption times with spikes in work performance from software. The experiment lasted one week.

On average, participants consumed 215 coffees per day. The office had approximately 100 employees, so the average was around two coffees per day per employee. According to the software, coffee increases office workers’ overall work performance. Productivity levels soared right after drinking the coffee. However, the effect does not last long. Within 2.5 hours after coffee consumption, productivity levels dropped as low as possible. Coffee provides only a temporary productivity boost. Coffee is a short-term solution to reduce tiredness and enhance brain performance.

Consume Coffee Wisely to Improve Your Work Performance

Caffeine is the most pervasive drug throughout the country. There is no harm in drinking coffee, provided you go about it smartly and in moderation. Here are ways to consume coffee and benefit from it:

  • Examine your productivity routine, and drink coffee when you need it most. Record when you drink coffee and note the effects it has on you. Do you feel alert and productive? How long does the effect last? If your productivity drops a few hours later, does another cup of coffee bring instant recovery?
  • Exercise or take a walk instead of drinking coffee. You can boost productivity in multiple ways, and exercise is one of the best methods. Many office exercises can help your brain relax and reload with the benefit of improving your health.
  • Consider switching to beverages that contain smaller amounts of caffeine. Tea is a fantastic substitute for coffee. If you change, try green tea, oolong tea, or earl grey tea.
  • Are you in a great mood? Drink a cup of coffee to prolong your good feelings. Coffee stimulates the release of dopamine, which produces euphoria and pleasant emotions.

Coffee in the morning can indeed improve your productivity. Temporarily that is. It is the ideal drink to boost your cognitive function, lighten your mood, and give you quick energy. However, be mindful that the effects are only temporary.

The recruiters at Wood Personnel Services can help you land a job that enables you to grow your career.

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