We’ve all been there. We have deadlines coming up, we’re swamped with work, and we can’t spare 20 minutes for a break! Eating lunch at your desk seems like a great idea. It means you get more work done, and still get lunch. It’s a win-win situation, right? Wrong! Stop eating your lunch at your desk.
We’ve been on a rollercoaster ride this year. With COVID-19 derailing our plans for 2020 and completely changing the way we work and manage our personal lives, it’s fair to say that we all deserve a break. This month, we want you to focus on finding ways to treat yourself kindly and fall in love with yourself. After all, October is the month of romanticism—the perfect season for a little self-love.
The best tip we can give you is to take your mealtimes seriously! This means it’s time to put your computer on sleep mode, even if it means not being able to catch up on your emails as quickly as you had hoped to. Not only does eating in front of your desk mean that you may not actually be very productive, but it’s not very good for you either. By eating at your desk, you may miss out on:
A Mental Break
We all have to physically step away from our work at some point. Lunch time is a great time to do this. It forces us to put our work on pause and engage in something other than our jobs. Although it may sometimes seem like wasted time where you could have gotten ahead, we promise you’ll thank yourself later!
Sometimes, breaks can add to productivity. Nourishing yourself is also important for your body and your mind, so it’s important to take your lunchtime just as seriously as you take your job.
Socializing
At many companies, coworkers often take lunch breaks with each other. It’s important to use this time to build connections with your colleagues. If you’re working from home, use this time to socialize with a family member as you share a meal.
Eating lunch at your desk rather than using it as a break to detach and socialize can cause a lack of balance in your life and can put you on the fast-track to burning out. Sharing your lunch with someone can help you recharge properly and be more productive once you do get back to your desk.
Movement
Even if you do take a quick lunch break, you would have still been sitting the majority of the day if you work at your desk. During these uncertain times where most of us are working, studying, and exercising from home, putting your body into gear has become more important than ever!
Lunch is also about way more than just eating. Making it a normal part of your routine to take an actual “lunch break” rather than just “lunch” can help give you the energy that you need to make it through the rest of the day. Take advantage of the fall weather and take a lunch-time stroll!
Falling in love with yourself means wanting the very best for yourself. Establishing habits of self-care, like healthy eating and a healthy life-work balance, can train your brain to think positively.
Eating at your desk may be a short-term time-saver but can have negative long-term side effects in many different areas of your life. Plus, with the holidays a little over a month away, who isn’t going to want to take a break (or two!) and dig into those delicious leftovers?