Often, a lunch break is treated as little more than an opportunity to sit and consume the calories necessary to help you get through the rest of the day. While it’s undoubtedly important to fuel up for the road ahead, it’s just as important to make sure that you’re engaging with your breaks in a way that truly refreshes and revitalizes you.
If you’re just quickly munching a snack on your way to a meeting or spending all that time with your eyes still on your computer screen, you may not be enjoying the full benefits of your lunch break. Here are a few tips to change that.
The first and perhaps most important step towards a more fulfilling lunch break is to physically take a step away from your workplace. Staying at your desk and eating with your eyes on the screen blurs the lines between when it’s time to work and when it’s time to unplug, which means you often don’t get to fully mentally disengage from your work. With a change in location comes a change in mindset. It’s best if you can get out into the fresh air and sunshine for some time, but even hanging out in the kitchen or in a break room can give your brain a break from the same stimuli it’s been dealing with all day already.
It might feel like working out is the last thing that you want to do after hours of working at your desk, but rather than tiring you out, a little physical activity can help boost your energy and reduce your stress greatly. For one, your body likely needs at least a stretch after hours of sitting at your desk. You don’t need to run a marathon. Even taking a quick walk around the block or stretching for a few minutes can do a world of good. You don’t have to break a sweat, you just need to get your blood flowing and to get the endorphins rushing to enjoy a mood boost that lasts for hours, enough to get you through the last part of the workday.
If you have time to do more than simply eat, then you should. Mental clutter builds up throughout the day, and taking the time to write down your thoughts, whether it’s how you felt about certain aspects of the day or lessons you want to learn from it, can help you clear away that clutter. You don’t need to try to write anything particularly insightful or profound; simply writing down your experiences and what’s on your mind can be highly therapeutic, offering mental clarity when you get back to work. This can be particularly helpful if you’re feeling stressed, challenged, or overwhelmed, as writing your thoughts down gives you some distance to consider them from a more impartial point of view.
If you spend most of your day working alone, there is a real benefit to connecting with others during your lunch break. First of all, maintaining good relationships with your coworkers can be greatly beneficial to your mood.
However, even if it’s not your fellow workers, but meeting up with a friend or FaceTiming with your significant other, you can refresh your mind and enjoy a mental refresh that allows you to get back into work.
It’s important to try talking about things other than work, too, stimulating your brain in a different way and allowing you to feel connected to your life and the people around you, rather than simply just being a worker drone.
You don’t have to switch your brain off to enjoy your break. In fact, sometimes, keeping your brain active while distracting it from your work tasks can be just what you need to gallop into the end of the day as productively as possible. Playing even a simple game like checkers can offer just the right mix of relaxation and mental stimulation. The trick is to keep your brain engaged without letting it get too stressed. You’re not letting your mental energy levels drop so low that you feel more sluggish coming into the second half of the day. You’re still using your brain, just in a lighter and more enjoyable way that can be genuinely restorative.
If you have had a particularly hard-working day and you find that your stress levels are a lot higher than usual, then finding your breath can be more powerful than you might think. Doing even a simple breathing exercise that takes a few moments of focus can act like a reset button on the nervous system. It has real physiological impacts, lowering your heart rate, relaxing tensed muscles, and, emotionally, helping you situate yourself in the present moment. Try inhaling slowly through your nose for a count of four, holding for four, and exhaling for another four. Do that a few times, and you will truly feel the difference. It’s a bit of a hard reset button that can be truly valuable when it’s used right.
Now, not everyone is able to take a moment to have a quick nap, especially if you’re in a busy workplace that might frown on that kind of behavior. However, if you are able, getting a short nap can be more recharging than you might think.
You don’t need a full cycle of sleep, including deep REM sleep, to feel rested. Micronaps of ten to twenty minutes can be long enough to help you feel more alert without giving your body the opportunity to feel groggy.
A power nap can improve memory, boost mood, and increase focus. It’s especially helpful if you didn’t sleep well the night before or if you’re facing a particularly demanding afternoon. Set an alarm and close your eyes.
While, in most cases, it’s recommended that you take your mind off work and allow your brain the chance to reset, sometimes, you can’t do that. If you don’t have a ton of time to the workday and you need to be as productive as possible to avoid your work spilling over into the next day and messing up your schedule, then you should use time management tools to schedule the second half of your day. Taking a few minutes to prioritize and map out your afternoon can reduce stress and prevent that post-lunch aimlessness. When you know what you’re doing next, it’s easier to dive in with focus rather than waste time deciding.
While it’s often recommended you do something to keep your mind active, if you don’t need to be particularly productive in your second half of the day but want to start winding down early, then enjoying a break passively with a podcast can be a great idea. This low level of mental stimulation helps keep you active enough to finish your remaining hour or two of work but also starts to decrease the stress and activity levels just enough that you’re ready to finish off for the day. It’s a low-pressure, high-reward habit that can add depth and color to your day. And over time, it can make you feel more informed, curious, and connected to the world around you.
When done right, lunch breaks can do more than sate your hunger. They can improve your mood, help you stay productive, and bring some much-needed balance to the day. Don’t underestimate how important they can be.
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