How do you spend your lunch break? Do you quickly gulp down a sandwich at your desk with one hand on your keyboard? Or do you skip the lunch altogether because you have “too much on your plate”?
I had the unhealthy habit of desk lunching, until someone (read mom) advised me to make use of my lunch hours. Utilizing lunch break is a surefire way to increase productivity, creativity, and give a boost to your energy levels.
Here are some ways in which you should be spending your lunch break:
EAT!
Okay this one is obvious, but a lot of people are skipping their lunch either due to squeezed lunch time or because they are trying to lose some weight. But, skipping lunch is not a good idea as you need a source of energy to be productive and get things done.
If you don’t feel like eating alone, get a lunch buddy through online networks like Let’s Lunch or GetLunched.com. Through these sites, you can get a lunch partner from your nearby area at your convenient time, which will allow you to increase your network and stop yourself from desk lunching.
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Take a real break from work
So, taking a break of 120 seconds to chow down your lunch at your desk won’t count. You need to take a real break from work, which implies staying away from emails, from any project or anything work related (Unless you are supposed to meet a deadline). You can earn some brownie points for not even talking about work with any of your colleagues.
Get away from your desk
Don’t try to be a hero and starve yourself just for the sake of displaying yourself as a hard worker or for checking off an item from your to-do list. You need to get away from not just your desk, but your workspace. You can go for a stroll in the nearby park or walk your dog if your workplace is pet-friendly. You can even go for a manicure and reward yourself with those freshly trimmed and painted nails after a hectic workday.
Work Out
Exercise is a great way to feel revitalized (and lose those few pounds), so sparing 20 minutes for working out is a really good idea. There are even apps that will help you to get a workout session within few minutes. Plus, the research says afternoon is the best time to exercise as the body temperature is higher in the noon as compared to early morning.
Take a nap
Human bodies are designed in a way that we need sleep after some interval of time. Additionally, taking a nap has its own benefits, it will clear out the holding area of information that you picked during the day, making room for more information. It also sharpens your memory and your ability to concentrate on your tasks.
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