Career & Living, Life

5 Reasons To Always Take Your Lunch Break

Put the sad desk lunch to the side and get up. You don’t have to even leave the office, but pushing your work to one side for 30 minutes a day is crucial. I know, I know, you’re swamped, you have to leave early, the boss is breathing down your collared neck. But taking a moment for yourself is the best way to make sure you power your way through the day, in the most productive of fashions. Here’s 5 reasons why you should always take that lunch break, no excuses.

#1 Rest Your Eyes

The Spanish have siesta and we deserve a break just the same. Oh how we wish it was socially acceptable to duck home for a nap. But alas we’ll have to settle for  just getting away from the screen. Your eyes need a break from all that pixelated mess. They do not need another Excel gridded mess to induce fuzzy stares and incorrect data. Save for actual shut eye during the work day, it’s time to step away from the desk. Your retinas will thank you.

#2 Move It

You can become one of those people that exercises at lunch, yes really. Imagine the endorphins and the gleeful gloating smile you’ll be able to bear upon returning to your cubicle. Exercising at lunch is a surefire way to supercharge your afternoon and get your workout out of the way. If your CBD based there’s a whole host of 45 minute classes on offer with the lunchtime gym buff in mind, so you can be back to the office showered and fresh in an hour flat.

Not so keen on returning to the office in a lather? Just make sure to get up and walk. Do a lap around the block, eat in the park, circle your office floor on repeat. Whatever it is to get you out of the chair and on your feet. Make a point of doing a few steps at meal time, you’ll be feeling limber and raring to go upon returning to your work.

#3 Um, Hanger

Hangriness, that state of hunger where all rational thought subsides. It is likely to cause snapping at your coworkers, passive aggressive emails and a general state of unapproachability. Do yourself and your career a favour, eat something nutritious. Sorry to state the obvious, but you need to eat. It’s brain fuel and without it you’ll be weathering coffee jitters and supreme dehydration without any food to slow it down. Absolute hell. It can make work feel even more arduous and your irritability will be at an all time high.

Don’t reach for a Snickers, instead have a decent meal away from your computer and you’ll be better placed to take on the rest of the day.

#4 Productivity

Smashing goals all morning long? Don’t want lunch to break your stride? Wrong. If you don’t eat your productive day will come to a grinding halt come 3pm. Then you’ll have to deal with the awful conundrum of whether to eat then and miss dinner or eat something small and deal with a slight hunger for the rest of the day. No fun at all. Don’t exhaust your brain until there’s nothing left. Head for a bite and come back with even more energy to power through til 5.30pm.

#5 Networking

Well let’s call it networking since you’ll be leaving this article for your boss to see as you duck out for a bathroom break. When it’s really socialising, but you know same same. A lunch break is perfect opportunity to sit down with a coworker and have a yarn. Maybe you can even break past the awkward small talk and into some real life conversation. Fingers crossed. For mental health humans need to connect with others and taking a little time to chit chat over lunch is a perfect way to break out of the cubicle mindset. If you see someone eating alone in the break room, go sit with them, you may just make a new friend.

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Editor of 5Why. Avid reader, obsessed traveller, always overdressed, chronically indecisive and nostalgic 20-something.

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