If you are like most busy professionals, one of the biggest challenges is keeping up your energy at work. It’s difficult sometimes not to be tempted to the sweet side with the vending machine in the corner or some quick ‘calorie-smalorie’ fast food. For most of us running on all cylinders, when the afternoon arrives, we are nothing more than an unproductive, unfocused cyborg. The attention turns from wanting to be remarkable to just wanting to remain awake. Forget about that mind-blowing after work workout you promised yourself when you woke up this morning. You’d be lucky if you make it home without the caffeine fix.

For the days like this (which may be every day!), you need simple solutions to ensure you use your positive energy sources. Instead of heading to the snack machine an unforgettable amount of times, you need to focus on nutritious, energy packed drinks or snacks. Option one is smoothies. No blender at work? Don’t let that stop you! Go online and purchase an inexpensive Stick blenderand slip it in your bag in the morning, and stay on track throughout your day.

Goji Berries are an excellent source of many nutrients with the immune boosting Vitamin C headlining this super food. They also have a surprisingly high level of calcium in them. Have them in a shake or drink will leave you feeling super focused and energetic for hours… until you need a second hit.The following are three natural body-boosting power snacks.

Chia Seeds are a great source of fibre, and have lots of heart-healthy, plant-based Omega 3’s. A pleasant side effect is they also make you feel quite full. A small amount of chia in your stomach expands leaving you feeling less hungry but still full of energy. This can be a bonus for people trying to reduce calorie intake and lose weight.

Maca Powder is also known as a happy powder. It balances hormones so that your mood changes are far less up and down making them more stable. Your energy levels will go through the roof without quickly crashing back down. Both men and women alike, report amorous feelings when regularly using maca powder. One reasons for this is Maca’s shot to the hormones (and this is a bonus worth taking advantage of and not just for productivity’s sake).

Here are three quick stamina boosting super shakes .

1. The superdooper Super Shake

1 cup almond milk
1 scoop protein
1-ounce Goji Berries
1 tsp Maca Powder
2 tbsp Chia Seeds
Handful of raspberries and a small banana (optional to taste)

Blend all ingredients and refrigerate leftovers immediately.

2. The elusive Goji Mocktail

4 oz Goji Berries
2 cups water
2-3 ice cubes

Blend and keep on your desk throughout the day. No need to refrigerate if you drink it in one day.

3. The Chia Power Pudding Shake

2 tbsp Chia Seeds
1 small banana
¼ cup almond milk

Use a spoon and smooth all ingredients together. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow chia seeds to gel.

The trick for productivity hacking your meals is to plan your snacks out the night before. This way the morning rush won’t ensure a fateful encounter with one of those notorious vending machines. Put all the dry ingredients of your shake together in a Ziploc bag and put them in the fridge. Better yet, if you have the space at work, buy a supply of plant-based protein or a super green formula as well as some Goji Berries, Chia Seeds, and Maca Powder and keep in at your desk. Mix them together and it will help ramp up your productivity. For the almond milk, buy a few containers off the grocery shelf (not the refrigerated section), and keep a few of these at work.

Part of any successful battle is preparation. Simple preparation like this helps minimize the chance of failure. Make sure you set yourself up to be a winner!

If you have a personal favourite for work, we would love to hear from you and feature it! Send us the recipe and a pic to our email address.​