H2: Keep your innovative crew energized—not just caffeinated.

(H2 = “How to” in Maddock Douglas Ideation Language)

I think - therefore I snack. You too right? So do you reach for the coffee and a candy bar? Bag of chips and a soft drink? Or a handful of almonds and a cup of green tea?

If your answer is: “whatever’s in front of me,” you’re probably like most busy, productive people—the hard-workers who see time as an entity and a break as a rarity. But here’s the thing:

To stay fresh, keep pace and get ahead….we’re open to being a bit more deliberate.

After meeting Pilar Gerasimo, Editor in Chief of the Lifetime Fitness publication Experience Life at the 2009 Conscious Capitalism Summit, we were inspired to explore ways in which we could facilitate better brainpower for our team. And in the article “Energy Crisis” in the October 2009 issue of Experience, author Jennifer Barrett mirrored this need by uncovering how not only sleeping cycles affect daily performance and even mood—but how the food we eat has a profound impact on energy levels and brain function. And that got us thinking: What else can we do to help the Maddock Douglas innovators stay ahead of the game when it comes to both of those things?

The answer: Make it easy, tasty, and healthy.

Because people are most likely to eat the food that is easiest to access, we decided to put some healthy selections where we currently experience the highest amounts of foot traffic – right by the coffee maker. We did some research to find healthy, brain-benefiting AND tasty (must be tasty) snack options. We then set up some funky, clear dispensers that would showcase these little pieces of cerebral generosity in all their glory—in our break room/kitchen.

But no MD initiative would be complete without some clever communication to convey how these foods could help—(and how other refined carbohydrates and processed foods can hinder) productivity, energy levels and mood. So we added cues to let our team know how these foods can be the fuel that drives a very successful day.

Based on the fact that we have to refill them a couple times a day, the healthy “brain snacks” are a hit. And the coffee? It’s definitely here to stay—it just happens to sit next to some very appealing, yet nutritious snacking options.