What does your health have to do with how well you work?

When we're struggling to concentrate at work, it's tempting to think we need a better productivity system.

A more organised diary.

Fewer distractions.

A new app.

More discipline.

But sometimes the problem isn't how you're organising your work.

It's how you're feeling.

Think about the difference between working after a good night's sleep, when you've eaten properly and feel calm and energised, and trying to do exactly the same task when you've slept badly, skipped lunch and have ten different things going around in your head.

You're the same person, with the same knowledge and ability.

But your capacity to use it can feel completely different.

Health doesn't stop when we start work

We often talk about health and work as though they're separate parts of our lives.

They're not.

Poor sleep can make it harder to concentrate and make decisions.

Stress can leave us feeling overwhelmed by things we'd normally manage easily.

Not eating or drinking properly can affect our energy.

Sitting still for hours can leave us feeling sluggish.

And when we're exhausted, even relatively straightforward tasks can take longer than they should.

The answer is often to work for longer to compensate but that can create another problem.

We have less time to rest, exercise, prepare decent food or switch off – all the things that might help us feel and perform better the following day.

Productivity isn't about squeezing more into the day

For me, productivity isn't about getting people to work harder or cram more into every hour.

It's about helping people have the physical and mental capacity to do what they need to do without feeling completely depleted by it.

That might mean looking at sleep.

It could involve finding practical ways to manage stress, including EFT tapping.

It might mean looking at nutrition, movement, hydration, digestion or whether somebody is getting enough genuine recovery time.

Most importantly, it means looking at the individual rather than assuming that everyone needs the same solution.

Feel better. Work better.

I spent many years working in finance in large businesses before retraining as a complementary health practitioner, so I understand what it is like to have deadlines, responsibilities and a lot of competing demands.

I also know how easy it is for looking after ourselves to slide down the list when work is busy.

But looking after your health isn't separate from being effective at work.

It helps make it possible.

So if your concentration, energy or resilience aren't what they used to be, don't automatically assume you need to become more disciplined or push yourself harder.

It might be worth looking at what is happening underneath. Because sometimes the most productive thing you can do is work out what would help you feel better first.