Coffee is a massive part of many people’s lives. According to the National Coffee Association, more than 60 percent of Americans drink coffee. People in other countries drink even more coffee than that. Interestingly, coffee plays a significant role in workers’ lives. In fact, 43 percent of them drink it. It makes you wonder whether it increases their productivity. Here’s the answer to that question:
What’s Good About Coffee?
Workers love coffee for a variety of reasons. Some love it for its robust taste, and some love it for the jolt they get from the caffeine. Caffeine is a highly effective ingredient when used properly. For one, it stimulates the central nervous system and gets everything moving. Therefore, it’s the perfect "pick me up" for workers who rise a little bit on the groggy side. The average cup of Joe has about 95 milligrams of caffeine in it, which is enough to boost an individual’s nervous system significantly.
Coffee is also excellent for boosting someone’s metabolism. Thus, many workers enjoy fitting a few cups of java into their days when they’re on weight-loss plans. Furthermore, the caffeine in coffee can alleviate some stress headaches workers get when they’re under the gun. This occurs because caffeine makes the blood vessels a little smaller, eliminating pain and inflammation.
Does Coffee Help Work Performance?
Caffeine has been scientifically proven to boost brain activity as well. Therefore, it’s quite possible that it can improve a worker’s overall performance. An alert brain can cause an employee to type faster, work harder, and think smarter. A fatigued employee is likely to do much less work than a person who has a wide-awake brain. A tired worker is also likely to work at a much slower pace.
How Much Coffee Should You Drink?
The answer isn’t black and white if you’re asking, "How much coffee do you need to be productive?" Each person has to find a "sweet spot" for drinking coffee. It can be detrimental if someone drinks it excessively. The general recommendation is not to drink more than two to four cups of coffee per day. That number can decrease drastically for people who have heart issues, diabetes, and other problems. Additionally, adding excessive amounts of refined sugar and sweet creams can be harmful.
Usually, one cup is enough to boost a worker’s productivity for several hours. However, a second cup may be necessary for someone who works an eight-hour work shift. Coffee has a short half-life of about five hours, and its effects generally decline after two or three hours. Therefore, a worker would need to drink a second cup of coffee at that time to get a new jolt to his or her system.
As you can see, coffee can be an excellent addition to your life as a worker. It can give you the energy and alertness you need to make every day amazing. There should be no harm to you as long as you drink it in moderation and don’t load it with too much sugar and too many additives.