Frictionless Friday: Decrease Your Food Options for More Productivity

When Elizabeth Segran experimented with switching to a plant-based diet, she found some unexpected results. Because her food options became quite limited, she realized that the lack of choice and the diet itself actually helped her productivity.

"This diet simplified the logistics of eating. If I went out for lunch, I knew that there were built-in constraints about where I could go and what I could eat. This actually saved me a lot of time," she writes on Fast Company. "In some ways, this was simply an issue of reducing the amount of decision making in my day, much like President Obama only wears grey or blue suits, so he doesn't need to think about what he's wearing."

Segran also saved herself a lot of mental energy. She knew every meal and snack was healthy, so she wasn't worrying and feeling guilty about what she has just eaten. Her actual diet ensured she had plenty of energy and she was able to avoid that post-lunch sluggish feeling and eliminated food comas altogether.

"I also generally felt happier," Segran wrote. "Part of this could have been a function of feeling more confident that I was eating well, but the nutritionists that I spoke with said that it could also have been a product of the increased antioxidant content in fruits and vegetables, which are known to decrease inflammation in the central nervous system and reduce anxiety."

A change in diet (which might feel pretty drastic for some) could lead to feeling more focused, being able to expend mental energy on work or other important activities, and actually feeling happier. Would you make the change?