To-Go Ware |
1. Take one. Sometimes I work right through lunch without even noticing that I missed it. This is very, very bad. It makes for a very long day and a head ache. I am going to start setting an alarm so this never happens again.
2. Meditate. I don’t go sit under a tree outside my office and meditate because my co-workers already think I’m weird because I sit in Lotus at my desk… But I do try to at least get out of the office and take 10 deep breaths. And I’ve always felt a bazillion-kajillion times better afterward.
3. Stretch. Oh, how I long for the days when I could practice yoga every single day during my lunch breaks! Alas, I am no longer spoiled in this way. I practice yoga at my desk all day long by taking a lot off stretch breaks. Lunch is the perfect opportunity to squeeze in a few extra ones.
4. Do something that fulfills you. For me, sometimes it’s blogging or tweeting with my pals. Other times, it’s thumbing through a fashion magazine, taking a walk, or logging into my puppy cam to see what my sweet Penny is up to.
5. Do nothing. When you finish eating before your hour is up… don’t you DARE go back to your desk! Put your legs up the wall. Close your eyes. Take a Siesta. But don’t short-change yourself by going back to work early. If you don’t take care of yourself, no one else will.
Besides, the next time you take a nice, refreshing break in the middle of your day, notice how productive you are in the afternoon. I’ve noticed that I actually accomplish MORE by taking a full hour lunch break than hen I try to power through it and get everything done.
How do you make the most of your lunch break?
elizabeth rowan says
Love this great reminder! Hope no one walks in on my legs-up-the-wall in the copier room 😉 I call it…corporatasana. Fantastic post – thank you!
Kathryn Ashcroft says
Lovely post. I'm a teacher so I don't get lunch breaks… always so many things to deal with! But it means I make the most of sneaking in some yoga when school does finish!
barbara6020 says
you are SOOOOO right … i will remember to include all of these things into my future lunch breaks: a good stretch, breathing fresh air, do something you really enjoy (reading blogs!), good, healthy food (!), thank you!
Eating as a Path to Yoga says
My yogic lunch includes food that feel good in my body. Any food is available and welcome to join my experience. Next I make sure that I am eating in a calm environment, meaning not in the car, or while watching television. Finally, I make sure to really savor my goodies as I find the satisfaction factor within my meal. A wonderful yogic-lunching resource would be "Eating Mindfully" by Dr. Susan Albers or "Intuitive Eating" by Elyse Resch & Evelyn Tribole.
Liz says
Love this post! Thanks for the reminder 🙂