Coffee is an important part of human culture and lifestyle present since the 15th century, and maybe even longer. The history of coffee is full of myths that place this beverage in Ethiopia and Yemen as far as 14 centuries ago. However, the first real evidence of coffee appeared in Sufi monasteries in Yemen of the 15th century although it is believed the beans were exported there from Ethiopia.
Even then, it was used to boost concentration and help Sufis stay awake for nighttime praying. From Yemen, coffee started spreading to Mecca, Egypt, Syria, Ottoman Empire and to the rest of the world. Today, benefits of coffee are widely known thanks to many studies exploring its nature and how it affects human health. Also, coffee is above all an epitome of socializing and even a ritualistic ingredient of human interactions.
But for many, coffee is a drink that will keep them alert and help them wake up which makes it a crucial element for work. The affiliation between coffee and workplace performance is studied and recorded for a long time. And the results truly make this plant a valuable part of the business world which is surely responsible for some portion of productivity.
You will stay alert
Focus and concentration are imperative to stay on top of all the workload and give an optimal performance at work. There are many ways to boost your alertness and drinking coffee is one of them. It is not a coincidence that Italians drink espresso without milk, sugar and in small cups.
As the study showed many Americans drink the minimum of one cup of coffee per day, while many have it with breakfast or as a first thing in the morning. Of course, not all react the same to caffeine and thus some may need less to stay alert while others may need more than one cup. Some people even say that they can’t function unless they drank a large cup of coffee.
It chases away tiredness and fatigue
Waking up in the morning can be a bit of a problem for some people and coffee is a perfect solution to start the day. Drinking coffee in the morning will also help you chase away tiredness and fatigue when the workday starts. These conditions can seriously affect the workplace performance by making you slower at doing tasks and solving problems.
Caffeine, also, boosts production of dopamine in the body which will make you feel good and boost your mood. This will provide better emotional stability and allow you to stay focused on the task at hand and responsibilities you need to complete. All these benefits undoubtedly enhance your performance and thus allow you to be more productive and successful at your job.
Coffee will keep you awake
Caffeine is known to help you stay awake and it has been the best friend of students and dedicated employees for a long time. However, this can be a good and a bad thing – it depends on what you need and want to achieve with coffee. In case you need to stay awake when a deadline is closing in, then coffee will help you with that.
But is you turn it into a habit of staying awake in the late hours, then you will sleep less and come to work tired. Moreover, too much coffee in your system may cause anxiety attacks and once it leaves your body will be crushed with fatigue. This is because caffeine blocks reception of adenosine in the brain a neurotransmitter causing drowsiness. And once caffeine is out of your system all piled up adenosine is absorbed making you sleepy.
Coffee improves mental performance
Many companies decide to rent coffee machine in order to provide their employees with several choices of this beverage and accommodate every taste. This happens due to the fact that employers started recognizing the benefits of coffee has on improving productivity. Drinking coffee was found to improve cognitive process which tends to deteriorate as we grow old.
Actually, beverages containing caffeine will help you solve problems more efficiently since it will help you stay focused. This makes coffee a natural stimulant to improve concentration which in turn boosts productivity and workplace performance. It will help you stay sharp and on your toes during long meetings or demanding tasks, but too much coffee can have an adverse effect.
Namely, your blood pressure may rise to make you feel dizzy and unwell which will negatively affect your performance. Also, your heart rate may go up and you can become jumpy and easily agitated. And, of course, too much coffee can disturb your sleep pattern making you tired and exhausted during the day.
Coffee improves physical performance
Not all jobs require employees to sit in the office, spend time at the computer or in meetings. Some professions may also need physical performance and this is where coffee can also help. Caffeine improves endurance by helping muscles burn fat instead of carbohydrate glycogen.
To find out your effective dose, divide your weight in half and multiply it by three. That way you will receive the amount of coffee in mg that will give you the best physical performance. And just like in other cases, too much coffee can actually decrease your performance and slow you down.
Caffeine has health benefits
Drinking coffee every day in reasonable amounts can have a health benefit for a person and thus make you feel better. It is known to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and boosts elimination of free radicals from the body. Some studies even show that coffee may protect you against Parkinson’s disease, cancer, depression, and liver disease.
In this case, the health benefits of coffee will prevent employees from going on sick leaves which in turn will enhance workplace performance and productivity. Not to mention the costs of treatment and medication, so that makes coffee and excellent preventative measure against certain conditions.
In the end
The affiliation between coffee and workplace performance is undoubtedly present, but whether it will be positive or negative depends on the drinker. Besides the individual tolerance to caffeine, there is also the quantities and strengths to consider, as well as the time of day a person has their coffee. In the end, it’s crucial to be a responsible coffee consumer in order to give optimal results at work and stay functional during the day.