Socialise – Once a week, speak to or have lunch with someone you have seen around the office but not spoken to before. You probably know every intimate detail about the guy that sits next to you already, so try venturing across the room to ask someone else to spend time with you. The quality of relationships in the workplace is the most important factor in workplace wellbeing and you will probably feel far better to have more close relationships in the office.
Find your Zen – Find a quiet spot, take a few deep breaths and be still for 15 minutes every day. As thoughts come to your mind just acknowledge them and let them float on by, this will help rejuvenate the brain, balance emotions and spark creativity.
Relax – Eating your lunch at your desk each day is unhealthy on many levels – it’s utterly boring for a start, plus our bodies are not programmed to digest food well under stress, so it’s important to have lunch when relaxed. Take a few deep breaths before you start eating; eat slowly and chew your food well.
Walk the walk – Taking a 15 minute walk at lunchtime is a great way to maintain fitness and it gets your brain buzzing. Get the most out of your lunchtime walk by asking yourself a question before you set out; for example “How can I put this proposal across in the best way?” Asking questions of yourself and then doing some exercise encourages your mind to think creatively and come up with new answers.
Refresh your finances – This is particularly helpful in January, after having realised just how much you spent on booze on New Years Eve. Use your lunch break to review and arrange your finances so that you can enjoy the rest of the month stress free. Money is one of the top causes of worry, and people who review their finances regularly tend to feel more in control and positive about their finances than those who spend their lunch breaks internet shopping (you know who you are!).
Start a lunchtime yoga or pilates class – Yoga and pilates are mostly non-sweaty – so there’s the bonus (for the person sitting next to you at least) of no greasy hair or smells in the afternoon! Even a short half-an-hour class can bring balance to your mind and help keep you fit at the same time.
Start a lunchtime walking club – This links the relationship building benefits of your lunch break with fresh air and exercise. Post up a meeting point and time, and whoever turns up goes on the walk. Keep at it even if there aren’t many takers at first – it will soon catch on!
Learn a language – Learning a language is useful and it can improve your employability too. A few words of French to use in the bedroom could even spice up your love life! Think of how much you could learn in 5 hours a week! Using language CDs, apps and much more, you can easily do it while sitting out in the park. Better still get a small group of colleagues together and do it as a group.
Tidy desk, tidy mind – Use some of your break time to get organised. Yes, it’s that dirty word again. Even if you’ve failed in the past, it’s worth trying again, as having a clear out has a big impact on how clear we feel in our minds.
Timing – When leading a busy lifestyle, it’s not always practical to take a full hour for lunch; however, you can still make sure you get yourself refreshed for the afternoon. The key is to spend at least 10 minutes after you’ve eaten thinking about something other than work. This can make all the difference to your energy levels and focus while you digest your food.
Start being creative with the ways you spend your lunchtimes and your workplace could suddenly become far more appealing on many levels. Whatever you do, make sure you have time to actually eat lunch.
These tips have come courtesy of leading workplace expert Karen Meager, thanks to low-fat cheese, Leerdammer Light.
