Trick I found for dealing with stress eating during a hard project

Last Tuesday I was stuck on a report for 6 hours and kept grabbing chips every time I hit a wall. I realized at 4pm I had eaten half a bag without even tasting it, you know? So I started keeping a water bottle with a timer cap on my desk - now every time I want to snack I have to drink first. Has anyone else tried swapping a habit like that to break the stress cycle?

3 comments

3 Comments

kevinw948d ago

Right? @jamesc79, you and I both learned the hard way that a bag of chips doesn't solve a scheduling mess, just makes you wish you'd grabbed carrots instead.

jamesc798d ago

That water bottle trick is actually pretty clever. I used to roll my eyes at stuff like that, thinking it was just some gimmick people post about online. But then I caught myself doing the same thing last month with a bag of pretzels while I was trying to figure out a scheduling mess for my crew. Now I'm starting to think maybe those little swaps actually do something, like they give your brain a second to pause before you just shove food in your mouth without thinking.

kellyallen8d ago

Did you find the drinking helped you actually stop reaching for the snacks, or did you end up just drinking and then eating anyway? I tried something similar where I kept a bowl of grapes on my desk instead of chips, and the crunch really helped satisfy that need to chew on something while I worked. The trick for me was prepping it the night before so I didn't have to think about it when I was already stressed out.