Boost Motivation with Fruits and Vegetables

Need a motivation boost? Find the closest piece of fruit, eat up and enjoy your boost. A randomized controlled trial found young adults had improvements in motivation, vitality and flourishing behaviors, including curiosity and creativity, when they increased fruit and vegetable consumption.

During the study, college-aged students were split into two groups. One group was given fresh fruit and vegetables to eat and the other was given produce vouchers and sent text message reminders to use them. Overall, those given the fresh produce had increased positive feelings of well-being. Many people are aware that eating healthy reduces disease risk, but this new finding on psychological effects opens a whole new door. Similar to exercise, do fruits and vegetables release hormones that change moods and feelings?

Interestingly, the group given vouchers did not have any improvements in vitality, flourishing or motivation, despite increasing their fruit and veggie intake. One explanation for this finding is the group given fruits and vegetables were given a variety of high quality, raw produce; whereas the voucher group often used it for habitual/nonvaried items or cooked the vegetables inside foods (such as vegetable lasagna).

Could the positive results be from consuming only raw produce? Possibly, yet the increased consumption of fruits and vegetables did not end up affecting mood (positive or negative) in any group. Keep in mind that the study period was only two weeks, and the students were still under the recommended servings of five fruits and vegetables a day. Although more research is needed, this study demonstrates that the average American who is not consuming the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables could see psychological benefits by eating more fresh fruits and vegetables.

Bottom Line: We all know we should eat more fruits and vegetables every day. Motivate yourself to reach for some fresh produce instead of that bag of chips!

Written by: Kyla Greenwell, Wellness Workdays Dietetic Intern

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Boosting Creativity in the Workplace

A recent research study shows promising developments in the workplace; managers may be able to increase leadership and creativity amongst employees by allowing more autonomy in the decision-making process. In addition, researchers now better understand the effect of creative self-efficacy on employees and how it influences their creativity.

The study measured creativity level by tracking employee behavior at work, for example, creative problem solving or suggesting new ways to complete tasks. Researchers then looked at how the behavior of management impacted employee behavior over time.

The research found that giving employees value within the company, by offering autonomy and freedom in the way the employees’ see fit, will urge them to surpass expectations. This approach worked extremely well with “high uncertainty” employees -- those who typically seek detailed and consistent rules, directives and expectations.

It’s important to note that supervisors must first demonstrate the ability to empower leadership. This behavior is demonstrated by showing increased confidence in an employee’s abilities, involving them in decision making, and acknowledging their high-quality work. It’s essential that this behavior is genuine or employees will not take a creative risk. Even though creativity takes time to grasp, harvesting an atmosphere where the employee has creative self-efficacy will soon lead to an “aha moment.”

Bottom Line: Showing confidence in your employees by empowering them with leadership and decision-making roles may generate increased employee creativity and motivation. When given a leadership role, employees who previously felt inadequate to complete a task gained more confidence and trust for supervisors.

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