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Sep 163 min read

The Coffee Productivity Boost: How Your Daily Cup Fuels Efficiency at Work



Author: Marleen Jolitz

Publication date: 16.09.2024


With over 2.25 billion cups being drank daily, coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. For many people, the day doesn’t start before a nice cup of coffee. Whether it’s a Flat White in the nice new café on the way to work, a quick Starbucks stop or a cup of filter coffee in bed - the caffeine gives us a kick start into the day. It wakes you up, helps with focussing on your tasks and boosts your energy, which is why it is so popular that the average adult drinks between 3 and 5 cups a day. But how exactly does this enhancement in productivity work? How can you make perfect use of the magical brown potion to support your performance in the workplace? What kind of health risks should be considered and how can you avoid negative side effects like caffeine crash? If you want to find out about the most beneficial coffee consumption, grab your coffee and keep reading!

 


How does caffeine work?


The caffeine in the coffee (40mg pure caffeine per 100mg of coffee) is a stimulant that enhances the activity in our brain and our nervous system, resulting in a stronger release of adrenaline and dopamine. At the same time, caffeine blocks the neurotransmitter adenosine, which is responsible for the feeling of fatigue. This combination makes us feel more happy and motivated as well as more awake and energized, with a peak at between 30 and 60 minutes after consumption depending on a person’s metabolism. However, coffee and caffeine do not only have positive effects on our body. High amounts of caffeine consumption may result in higher blood pressure, an increase in cholesterol levels and is connected to diseases such as Parkinson’s, diabetes and heart attacks. Furthermore, side effects like insomnia and headaches may occur. This is why the daily dose should not extend to 4 cups of coffee, which I believe is still enough to profit from the positive effects without risking your health.

 

 

The best time to drink coffee do enhance productivity


So, if we are talking about the enhancement of productivity at work: at what time should I drink my coffee to boost my performance? In the morning after waking up, the body releases cortisol in order to raise awareness for the surroundings and the situation we are in and make us alert. The cortisol level peaks between 7am and 8am or 45 minutes after waking up and after that slowly decreases throughout the day. Therefore, to get the best effect out of the caffeine rush, it is suggested to have your first coffee about 3 hours after waking up, when your cortisol levels are lower again and you would usually start to feel less energized, around 9:30am and 11:30am. But besides the energy boost, caffeine can also enhance creativity as well as one’s ability to focus. This is suspected to be caused by the increase of dopamine and the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, responsible for focus and vigilance and together creating more activity in your brain that have positive effects like improved memory or more divergent and creative thinking. Thus, if you want to use coffee as a performance enhancer, it is suggested to have 2-3 coffee breaks during your work day rather than having a sip every now and then in order to get that boost every few hours, considering the time the caffeine needs to unfold its effect. 

 

In summary, coffee is not only a tasty beverage or a nice souvenir from South America. The caffeine in it is a stimulant that enhances our dopamine, adrenaline and norepinephrine production which results in feeling more awake, motivated and helps us with thinking and focussing. It is suggested to drink your first coffee a few hours after waking up to not mess with your cortisol levels and get the perfect energy boost, as well as 30-45 minutes before a certain task for which you would like to enhance productivity. But remember: too much coffee is a risk for your health and always drink water in between to stay hydrated! Now get to the closest coffee place near you and enjoy the multifaceted specialty! 


 

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