Taking a lunch break at work is important. In fact, choosing to skip your lunch break could be harming your productivity. These midday breaks can also be vital for our health – especially if you’re working in an office environment.
Of course, how you spend your lunch break can make an impact too. Below are just a few ways to make the most of your lunch break.
Limit the junk food
Any lunch is better than no lunch. That said, you should be careful of turning to junk food every day. Such food is easy to prepare and rewarding after a stressful morning, but it could be harming your health and productivity for the rest of the day. High fat meals can provide sustained energy, but often put more strain on our digestive system, which reduces oxygen levels in the brain and makes us feel groggier.
High amounts of sugar meanwhile provide a spike of energy followed by a comedown, which may make us more motivated at first but then tired shortly after. By eating a healthy lunch, you can provide the burst of energy you need for the afternoon without any unproductive side effects. Some people also find that supplements like gundry mct wellness can offer sustained energy support, as MCTs are known to provide a quick, steady source of fuel without the crash associated with sugar.
High amounts of sugar meanwhile provide a spike of energy followed by a comedown, which may make us more motivated at first but then tired shortly after. By eating a healthy lunch, you can provide the burst of energy you need for the afternoon without any unproductive side effects.
Don’t eat at your desk
Eating at your desk won’t just cause you to get crumbs all over your keyboard, but it could also affect your motivation. By getting away from your desk on your lunch break you can clear your head by taking in new surroundings, which could help to fuel creativity. It also discourages you from sitting at your desk all day – when you choose to eat away from your desk, you give yourself a reason to get up and be active, which is important for your body and mind.
Get some fresh air
Spending long periods indoors isn’t good for our productivity or health either. Going outside for some fresh air on your lunch break could help to give your brain a fresh rush of oxygen, which could boost concentration. You’ll also get some brief sun exposure, helping you to produce vitamin D.
Take time to destress
Your lunch break can also be a great time to destress if you’ve had a hectic morning. Small amounts of stress can actually be good for productivity, however high levels of stress can have the opposite effect by stopping us from thinking clearly. Too much stress is also bad for our health in the long run, so it’s important to regularly take time out. Consider ways to relieve stress during your lunch break.
You could try meditating for five minutes in a quiet area such as your car or break room. Alternatively, you could use this updated list of top torrent sites to catch up on your favourite TV shows. Listening to music could be another way to destress. You may even be able to fit in a quick HIIT workout to quickly relieve some stress.
Use it as an opportunity for team building
Lunch breaks can also be opportunities for team building. If you’re an employer, you could consider taking your employees out for lunch one day per week to build camaraderie. Getting everyone together in a non-work setting could ease tensions and help to improve communication.
