As an internet professional who spends a lot of time at your desk you’ve probably thought about how to keep your energy up through the sometimes tedious tasks that you must perform while sedentary for long periods. Keeping a clear mind so that your productivity is high and your work is of good quality is not so hard if you can discipline yourself to eat well. Though not everyone can keep the same diet as everyone else due to health, body type, , or ethics there are some basic nutritional guidelines you can follow in order to be happier and healthier while at work – and for that matter at play and at home too.

Eat lightly

If you can curb cravings and eat simple, light foods you will feel light yourself. A salad or stir fry and some rice will digest easily and provide steady energy after the meal. To make things easy on yourself you can even prepare rice the day before with as little hassle as possible by using the best rice cooker () you can afford. Rice cookers allow you to cook while getting completely absorbed in other tasks and forgetting that you are even cooking as they will shut off automatically when the rice is ready. Fish is another good food touted by nutritionists for its heart healthy qualities and ease of digestion. A fillet knife is of huge benefit when prepping fish. Fish has long been promoted as by mothers trying to coax their seafood-averse children to eat their supper.

Eat regularly

If you eat small amounts regularly you will avoid the low in energy that comes after eating a large meal. You will also avoid the low that comes from not eating enough. Snacks like nuts and fruit can keep you going through a long boring task. Definitely forgo the donuts and coffee if you can, they are a combination practically tailor-made for an energy high followed by a sugar crash – especially if you add lots of sugar to that coffee. Along with the short snack breaks try to take small breaks from your desk and get up and walk around. If you can do a little stretching – especially your shoulders – as hunching in front of a computer is especially hard on your upper body.

Drink Water

You’ve heard it a hundred, or maybe a thousand, times: drink plenty of water. If you do drink a lot of coffee you are likely dehydrated as coffee is a . To stay hydrated a good rule of thumb is to drink one glass of water for every cup of coffee. Sometimes fatigue is simply due to mild dehydration and a couple of glasses of water will quickly bring you back to a good level of energy and alertness.

Try following these three simple food guidelines for one week and see if it makes a difference in your work day. Or experiment with it: try one day on one day off so you can compare a light diet with a heavier one and determine if there is any benefit for you.