Ultraprocessing Ruins Your Ability to Be Effective

What’s your poison – cakes, cookies, chips, candy…?

You probably eat healthy most of the time, making sure you get enough protein and so forth. (I hope.) But from time to time you indulge in your poison of choice. All things in moderation, etc.

What happens when you overload on your poison?

Ultraprocessed food is bad for productivity

Technically, this stuff is food. It can definitely sub in for food when you’re in a time crunch. But it’s not great to rely on, as you know.

For one thing, this type of food tends to be high in calories but low in nutrients. The processing itself removes a lot of the nutrients. Some manufacturers add back some vitamins, but they’re not as bioavailable (easy for the human body to absorb) as when they’re in their natural form.

They’re also designed to be addictive, so you’ll keep buying them. The taste trifecta for humans is salt, fat, and sugar; these components hit the (literal) sweet spot in our brains. 

And obviously, if you overindulge, there are health consequences. 

This kind of food is bad for your brain as well. Your mind prefers nutrient-rich nourishment, not empty calories that might result in a flood of insulin, causing a sugar crash. You’re unable to be at peak performance because this food leaves you feeling bad, irritated, and possibly even hungrier.

As a health-conscious business owner, you know this stuff isn’t ideal. You probably don’t have a category in your food budget/spending plan for junk food because you don’t really plan for it. Unless you’re bringing them in as a treat for your colleagues or to celebrate a special day, these are impulse buys.

Ultraprocessed data is also bad for productivity

What is ultraprocessed data, you wonder, and for good reason – I made it up. I am including things like “social” media, where the black box algorithm on whatever platform you’re using manipulates what you see according to what it knows about you. (Which is a LOT.) I’m also including emails that are the equivalent of junk food. 

There’s real food with nutrients, which tends to be unprocessed or minimally processed, that supports your health both mentally and physically. There are also emails that help you build relationships with colleagues, clients, and vendors or in some way help you move your business toward your goals.

Those aren’t the ultraprocessed emails I’m talking about. I’m talking about the kind that you scroll through while you’re in line or procrastinating or trying to look “busy”. These belong in ultraprocessed data.

Like ultraprocessed food, ultraprocessed data has few “nutrients”. It doesn’t help you nourish relationships or contribute to your company. In the case of “social” media, just like ultraprocessed food, it has 100% been designed by its creators to be addictive – because they want to show you as many ads as possible to make as much money off you as possible.

Just as too much ultraprocessed food often leads to weight gain and adverse health consequences, too much ultraprocessed data leads to a shortened attention span and diverts your brainpower from your goals.

Brainpower is limited, just as your metabolism is limited. You can’t outexercise a crappy diet full of ultraprocessed foods, and you can’t outthink the algorithm designed for dopamine release.

But just as you don’t have to consume ultraprocessed foods in excess, you don’t have to consume ultraprocessed data either. Fortunately, you don’t have to rely on willpower (which is also limited) to prevent you from overdosing on the stuff.

Weaning yourself off ultraprocessed data to boost your productivity

One thing nutritionists advise for people who need to eat more nutritious food is to think about adding the good stuff, not focusing on taking away the bad stuff. So someone might add fruits they enjoy to their daily plan. As you add more of the good stuff, there’s less room for the bad. 

Plus, as soon as someone tells you you can’t have that second helping of cake, what do you do? You eat that second helping in defiance of the person who told you you couldn't. (Even if that person was you.)

Instead of telling yourself you can’t have a piece of cake, you get to have food that you enjoy that also has lots of nutrients, like an apple or tomato caprese salad or whatever.

What else? You might create boundaries around grocery shopping, making sure you’re not hungry when you do it (either online or in person.) If you’re at the store, you might chew gum so you are not tempted by all the little ultraprocessed nibbles they set out for you.

And you might ensure that you stick to your budget. Once your nutrition needs are fulfilled, there might not be a whole lot of room for impulse junk purchases.

It’s the same for ultraprocessed data. Last week I talked about the idea of an energy budget where you’re intentional about how you spend your time and energy. If you’ve filled your 24-hour spending plan with what you need for productivity (which, as a reminder, includes things like socializing and fun), you won’t have a lot of room left for ultraprocessed data.

If you do, get another hobby! Or make more friends.

But you can also engineer your environment to reduce the likelihood of too much overprocessed data. Make sure your phone is not allowed in the bedroom (get an alarm clock if you use your phone for the alarm.) That way you won’t be tempted in the early morning to start ultraprocessing right away.

When you’re working, especially when you’re in deep work, turn off all notifications. Even better if your phone is completely out of sight in another room.

When you’re struggling, add more fun. Read a book in a genre you enjoy. Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while (I said call, not text/email, for this purpose.) Paint a picture, do some needlework. If you’re a fan of bubble baths and scented candles, have at it. If you’d rather hit a punching bag until you’re exhausted, have at it.

Or rest. You might need a nap. You might need a few minutes for meditation. You might need a few minutes to stare out the window blankly (trust me, your brain will come up with something.)

Be as intentional with your time as you are with money and nutrition. That’s how you’ll keep your brain in optimal performance mode. Which will keep you sustainably productive instead of putting you on the road to burnout.

Recap (tl;dr):

Ultraprocessed data is just like ultraprocessed food: designed to be addictive but not contributing to your health and wellness in any way. Don’t worry if you realize you’ve become a little overdependent on the data, because you can wean yourself off without too much pain.

Feel like you’re drowning in this data and can't get out of the hole you dug? I’ve got a ladder, and it starts with a free consultation. Click here to schedule it.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.