Improve concentration and energy levels with these proven methods.
Energy and focus work in tandem to ensure that we can be efficient and productive as we go about our lives. They are not only important during high-intensity work tasks and exercise, they also help us fully enjoy time with our loved ones and even quiet moments by ourselves.
In this article, we discuss ways to boost your energy and increase your focus, so that whatever you find yourself doing (or not doing), you have the knowledge and tools to help re-enter an optimal state of mind and being.
Nutrition is a vital part of your body’s ability to sustain energy and focus, and as we will discuss, SaladPower—with its thoughtfully selected formula and emphasis on premium-quality, all-organic ingredients—assists countless individuals by offering a convenient, healthy source of nutrients throughout the day. We hope SaladPower helps you, too!
Ways to Improve Focus
With the endless barrage of text messages, emails, and other distractors, it is more important than ever to equip yourself with tools for increasing concentration. While you may be able to compensate for interruptions and complete tasks on time, research indicates that this comes at the cost of increased stress and frustration and necessitates more effort as we cope with pressure.[1]
One of the ways you can mitigate distractors is by planning for specific times during the day to check your phone, email, and social media. Outside of those designated times, be sure to turn off notifications, as research suggests that, even if you do not respond to the notification, it is still likely to cause the mind to wander from the task at hand.[2]
Structuring work breaks is another excellent way to boost concentration. Though you are spending time away from the task, you will often be more productive overall due to the replenished mind and body you bring to the task when you return.[3] Breaks boost energy as well!
Exposure to nature has also been proven to enhance focus. While spending time in nature is probably most beneficial—which can be done during one of the work breaks mentioned above for ultimate effect—a 2014 study indicates that simply adding plant life to your work space increases concentration.[4]
While all of these methods can help you focus, the single most important thing you can do is improve your overall health. Along with regular exercise, a diet packed with nutrient-rich, unprocessed foods will go a long way in ensuring you can concentrate throughout the day. We know of an excellent, all-organic smoothie packed with nutrients to help you get there!
Enhancing and Sustaining Energy Levels
As you may have read in our article highlighting why SaladPower is the best natural (caffeine-free) energy drink on the market, your diet determines your ability to sustain energy over long periods of time.
Ensuring you have a proper intake of iron, for instance, will allow you to process and distribute energy throughout your body. As a necessary element of hemoglobin, iron directly contributes to energy production, cellular metabolism, and tissue function in the body. Moreover, iron plays a role in sending oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body to ensure muscles perform optimally.[5] Spinach and kale—two key superfoods in SaladPower—are excellent sources of iron.[6] [7]
Spinach and kale also contain tons of vitamin C to aid the body in absorbing the iron necessary to carry on energy production.[8] Spinach carries the added benefits of vitamin D, which has been linked with reducing fatigue.[9]
Antioxidants also help the body generate and sustain energy. For instance, a 2019 study links antioxidants to improved energy metabolism and superior athletic performance.[10] All of the ingredients in SaladPower—kale, spinach, broccoli, carrot, apple, and lemon—are excellent sources of antioxidants and the energy-boosting, performance-enhancing properties that come with them.
In fact, SaladPower helps boost your energy levels in a plethora of ways. For one, the fiber in apples balances energy levels, reducing fatigue and sluggishness.[11] Meanwhile, the potassium in lemons has been linked with higher energy levels, whereas a potassium deficiency can lead to exhaustion and chronic sleepiness.[12]
When you factor in the convenience provided by SaladPower, the true value of our nutrient-packed, all-organic smoothies comes to light. Not only does this eliminate the time it would otherwise take to prepare or order meals, it also minimizes distractions. As we discussed earlier, this allows you to maintain focus on the task at hand and decreases the likelihood that you will be tempted by any number of diversions, including the temptation of eating unhealthy foods.
In this way, not only does SaladPower energize, it synergizes, allowing you to concentrate on what you want to do while providing an abundance of nutrients to fuel your body and mind!
[1] Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008). The cost of interrupted work. Proceeding of the Twenty-Sixth Annual CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - CHI ’08. https://doi.org/10.1145/1357054.1357072
[2] Stothart, C., Mitchum, A., & Yehnert, C. (2015). The attentional cost of receiving a cell phone notification. Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance, 41(4), 893–897. https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000100
[3] Hunter, E. M., & Wu, C. (2016). Give me a better break: Choosing workday break activities to maximize resource recovery. The Journal of applied psychology, 101(2), 302–311. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000045
[4] Nieuwenhuis, M., Knight, C., Postmes, T., & Haslam, S. A. (2014). The relative benefits of green versus lean office space: three field experiments. Journal of experimental psychology. Applied, 20(3), 199–214. https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000024
[5] Moustarah, F., & Daley, S. F. (2024). Dietary Iron. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK540969/#:~:text=Iron%20is%20an%20essential%20component
[6] U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2019). FoodData Central. Usda.gov. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168462/nutrients
[7] U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). FoodData Central. Fdc.nal.usda.gov. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/323505/nutrients
[8] Li, N., Zhao, G., Wu, W., Zhang, M., Liu, W., Chen, Q., & Wang, X. (2020). The Efficacy and Safety of Vitamin C for Iron Supplementation in Adult Patients With Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA network open, 3(11), e2023644. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.23644
[9] Sinha, A., Hollingsworth, K. G., Ball, S., & Cheetham, T. (2013). Improving the vitamin D status of vitamin D deficient adults is associated with improved mitochondrial oxidative function in skeletal muscle. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 98(3), E509-13. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2012-3592
[10] Takami, M., Aoi, W., Terajima, H., Tanimura, Y., Wada, S., & Higashi, A. (2019). Effect of dietary antioxidant-rich foods combined with aerobic training on energy metabolism in healthy young men. Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition, 64(1), 79–85. https://doi.org/10.3164/jcbn.18-40
[11] Hervik, A. K., & Svihus, B. (2019). The Role of Fiber in Energy Balance. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2019, 4983657. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/4983657
[12] Signs You’re Not Getting Enough Potassium and What to Do About It. (n.d.). EatingWell. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/290730/signs-youre-not-getting-enough-potassium-and-what-to-do-about-it/