That feeling of dread when you check your inbox, being paralysed by deadlines, the realisation that “extra long hours” are becoming the norm – sound familiar?
Many of us deal with work-related stress to some degree pretty regularly. And can you guess what one of the most common coping mechanisms is? You got it: a big whack of sugar to help get us through the endless emails, reports and meetings, or the all-too-regular 3pm slump.
And it’s not just the common culprits either (afternoon chocolate fix anyone?) – people in the workplace are self-medicating with sugary coffees and teas, sweet-as-sin protein bars, honey and date-packed smoothies and even sweet salad dressings.
In fact, sugar is the most prevalent addiction we treat in people suffering job burnout through our residential program at Noosa Confidential.
Sugar: the colleague you wish you’d never met.
When we are experiencing physical, mental or emotional exhaustion at work and reach for something sweet, the sugar rushes to the pleasure centre of the brain, where studies show it activates more neurons than heroin or cocaine. This gives us a spike of wired energy and feeling of comfort, but it can also cause inflammation in the body and smash our adrenal glands, which impacts our gut-brain connection.
In the long run, sugar can actually slash work productivity by making it more likely that we’ll fly off the handle in a stressful situation, or creating a brain fog that affects our ability to form a clear thought. So, why do so many of us keep going back for more? And what can we do about it?
Sugar addiction in the office is still socially acceptable.
Yes, word is spreading about the harmful effects of sugar and low-sugar alternatives are gaining momentum. But for the most part, people won’t bat an eyelid if their colleague ducks out to buy a Mars Bar at 3pm. Heck, half the time they’ll be taking group orders! When our habits are so socially acceptable, we’re less likely to challenge them.
We have limited time to take responsibility for our food choices.
Many of our clients dealing with stress and exhaustion at work have become so far removed from the process of feeding themselves that shopping for ingredients seems an outlandish concept. In coping with job burnout, they’ve become disconnected from their food, opting for frozen dinners and fast food over making something from scratch. This can make sugar hard to avoid (given it’s in most packaged and junk foods out there) and only feeds the addiction further.
Take the power back.
With so many competing workplace priorities and less time at home, the idea of preparing your own food and making sure you have sugar-free snack alternatives on hand can be intimidating.
But to live without being dependent on sugar, you need to take control of your food choices. It is possible even if you’re stuck in the office all day – the options are out there and it doesn’t need to be complicated.
Choosing to fuel your body with plenty of veggies, good fats and proteins is a good place to start. Try stashing nuts and seeds in your desk drawer, or bring a little esky to work if you don’t have a fridge for fresh ingredients. Start decreasing the amount of sugar you take in your tea or coffee (I can promise you coffee eventually tastes great without it!).
There are very good health-conscious cafes popping up all over the country now, offering low-sugar or sugar-free meals and snacks. Do some research in the area where you work and try some out.
By recognising the habit and adopting some small changes when it comes to food choices, you can take the power back and kick sugar to the curb. Your career and your colleagues will thank you for it!
Do your work habits lead to sugar cravings and make it hard to quit?
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