By Ana Margarita Olar | Executivechronicles.com
Skipping lunch, eating while working, chewing down food in a minute so that you can go back to work, these are just some of the intoxicating habits that we are forced to do in an attempt to increase our productivity. But these habits will yield burnout, fatigue and stress. So take a halt, get the best out of your lunch break and develop these healthy habits:
Healthy habit # 1: Stop, breath, and take a real break.
Taking a break doesn’t mean chewing down your lunch as fast as you could while looking at your desktop that you don’t even have time to look at what you’re eating. The first thing to do when lunch break starts is to put away all the paper works and hibernate or turn off your computer screen. Take a deep breath, relax and try not think about the line-up of tasks that you’re about to do after lunch. Don’t work and don’t talk about work while eating. Take time to reenergize yourself. And refreshed mind can work more efficiently than a stressed mind.
Healthy habit # 2: Eat Home-Made Healthy Lunch
Being a hardworking employee doesn’t mean that you must give up the habit of old style, home-made and complete lunch. And it also doesn’t mean to skip lunch for work. Take time to eat your food and also, prepare homemade foods rich in carbohydrate and proteins to refuel your mind and body. Don’t forget that crisp salad on the side or a slice of fruit. You need to replenish your mind and body so that they will work well with you.
Healthy habit# 3: Don’t be Single, be ready to Mingle.
There is a thin line between socializing and gossiping. The first one is healthy, the second one is deadly. During lunch breaks take the time to bond with your work mates, or better yet have lunch together. While it is important to keep your body and mind healthy, it is also important to have a healthy working relationship with your co-workers to lessen the tension and increase efficiency and productivity.
Healthy habit # 4: Spend some time outdoors.
If your office has a wide lawn outside then spend some time to walk and take in fresh air after lunch. This will relieve you from tension and stress brought about by your work. Also looking at a distance will soothe your eyes from strains brought about by too much exposure to computers.
Healthy habit # 5: Exercise.
You could try brisk walking, going up and down the stairs or doing sit ups. You can try any workout permitted by your working space. Or better yet, talk to your workmates if they would want to have a 10-15 minute lunch work out. In this way, you’ll be energized, have some fun with your workmates, and be refreshed to go back to work.
