How Breakfast Helps You Stay Focused

This is what the morning routine of most people looks like: they wake up, get dressed and just head off to their office. On the way, they read the news and quickly grab some coffee. So when do these people have breakfast? Well, most of the time they don’t. A lot of people say that they’re not that hungry in the morning, so they just skip it and wait for lunch. This way, they have more time for “important” things like getting ready for a meeting. Because a lot of people prioritize other activities to having breakfast, many just skip the first meal of the day on a daily basis.

What happened to “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day?”. Our parents used to tell us that when we were growing up. A lot of people forgot about that saying and stopped believing it. But there is nothing to believe in. It has been scientifically proven that breakfast indeed is the most important meal of the day. In fact, there are many health benefits of eating breakfast and one of them is the ability to stay focused.

Breakfast improves your memory

Carbohydrates are like high-quality fuel for your brain. By starting your day with a healthy breakfast, you can improve your memory as well as concentration levels. It will also improve your mood, because you gained enough energy to get through the first part of your working day, which automatically lowers your stress level.

There were actually some studies that were conducted testing this theory among children. The outcome was that kids, who have a healthy breakfast every day before going to school are better at memorizing lessons and problem-solving than their peers who don’t have breakfast. There is a direct link between having breakfast and better performance.

You will stay more focused

One of the reasons why we can’t concentrate sometimes is because we feel tired. We feel tired even if it is 11:30 am. This is because we lack energy. If you skip breakfast, where will you get the energy to focus from? Coffee or black tea won’t do the job. Caffeine just helps you get through the day. A good breakfast on the other hand, helps you stay focused. Your work doesn’t lose quality, because your concentration level remains high and you stay productive.

You will feel less hungry

If you think you don’t need breakfast, because you aren’t hungry in the morning, you will probably regret it within 2-3 hours. Around 11 am you will start looking at the clock just waiting for lunch. The worst part about being hungry is that you start to get easily distracted from work, time doesn’t pass by and you even become a little grumpy.

If you start your day with a great meal you won’t be as hungry throughout the day, because you already received a lot of nutritions. This results in eating less. In fact, you will find yourself eating less and less throughout the day. Try to make breakfast the biggest meal of your day. Then have less for lunch and even less for dinner – you will feel lighter.

What you eat is essential

This is something we need to emphasize. A lot of people think that if breakfast is so important, they will just buy a bagel or donut as they order their morning coffee. But too much sugar in the morning isn’t good for you. Obviously you feel an energy boost, but it won’t last very long and then you will feel tired again.

If you’re unsure what to eat for breakfast, because you aren’t used to it or always eat cereals with milk, here a couple of suggestions that are not only healthy, but they will give you the energy boost you need to have a productive day. Have some eggs, cheese, oatmeal, yoghurt, nuts, fruit, honey or whole wheet bread. If you don’t feel like eating any of this, mix yourself a smoothie. You can put all kinds of fresh or dry fuits in your smoothy maker and mix it with different kinds of nuts and oatmeal. It’s quick, you can take it with you and it tastes good!

Breakfast gives you energy, helps you stay focused and concentrated and it just tastes good. If it has so many benefits, why would you want to skip it? Once you start having a healthy breakfast on a daily basis, you will see how your productivity increases too. If you aren’t sure how to measure the progress of your performances at work you might want to check out TimeTrack.

TimeTrack is a time tracking tool for employees and companies looking for a solution to keep up with their working hours, projects and performances. Set it up in a few minutes and keep up with your progress. Know your strengths and acknowledge your weaknesses. You can only improve, if you are aware of your weaknesses. Are you ready to find out? Learn more about TimeTrack.

Ivana Spiridonovic

Time management is an important topic for companies, whether small or large. As a trained business economist and expert at TimeTrack for many years, I deal with the topic of time tracking on a daily basis. I would like to share with you the tips and tricks I have discovered in the field.

I also like to write about my experiences in project management. I attach great importance to team management, manageable work processes and transparent communication – in my opinion the basics for every successful project.