Coffee is the most popular beverage in the world. In the United States alone, people drink about 450 million cups of coffee each day.

For many people, coffee is an integral part of their day. A lot of people strongly believe that they need coffee in order to get work done and be productive. But is that really true? Does coffee make you more productive?

Research indicates that to a certain extent, the answer is “yes.” Coffee (or, more specifically, caffeine) does briefly make you feel more energetic and alert. Thus, coffee can help you to focus, remember new information, be more accurate, perform better on cognitive tasks, and get more done.

But there’s also a downside. Coffee can make it harder for you to get to sleep at night. And if you get a bad night’s sleep, you’ll be tired, lethargic, and unproductive the next day. Now you might try to fix this problem by drinking even MORE coffee – but that will only make it that much harder for you to sleep. And just like that, you’ll find yourself in a vicious circle.

So what should you do? Author Taylor Martin suggests that you drink coffee in moderation. Figure out the amount of coffee that works for you – the amount that gives you a boost without giving you the jitters or keeping you up at night. And try not to go over that amount.

If you still feel groggy, even after drinking your allotted amount of coffee, try to boost your energy in other ways. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Go outside for 15 minutes – The natural light and fresh air should help to make you feel rejuvenated and refreshed.
  • Stand up and move around – Get up from your desk and get a little exercise.
  • Chill out – Splash cold water on your face. Or drink some really cold water. The cold should help to revive you.
  • Eat something – Chewing food can actually wake you up.
  • Laugh – Laughing releases endorphins, which can help to pep you up.

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Martin, T. (n.d.) How coffee actually affects your productivity. Doist. Retrieved from: https://blog.doist.com/coffee-productivity/