We’re all guilty of it. Chasing deadlines, running campaigns, filing tax audits, chatting on Facebook; anything that keeps us so busy that we either forget, or purposely plan to skip our lunch breaks.
But this unhealthy habit is not only detrimental to your productivity, it can also have a negative impact on your body, mind, and even relationships.
Here are 7 of many reasons why you need to take your lunch break:
- You’re eating the wrong food – Most people who skip their lunch break usually rely on carbohydrate-heavy snacks and convenience foods grabbed from the newsagents or bakery on the way to work. It’s hard to elaborate fresh salads, lean meat and nutritious soups while sitting at your desk.
- People who stop for lunch are more productive – When you chomp through your meal while reading your emails or filing reports, you don’t give your brain a chance to switch off. Taking a short sixty minute break can leave you feeling invigorated and more productive in the afternoon.
- Help your posture – It’s not really surprising that sitting eight hours a day at a desk can provoke neck, back and joint pain. Sitting in one position for so long puts strain on your spine and supporting muscles. Getting up, moving around and changing positions can help stretch your back out, relieving tension.
- Walk your way to better health – Using your lunch hour to exercise is one of the best things you can do for yourself, as being too sedentary can provoke more unwanted diseases in the long run. Your metabolism and circulation are impeded when you sit down and this can provoke heart disease and diabetes. Even a brisk 15-20 minute walk can do wonders for your body and mind.
- De-stress and use your time wisely – Getting some fresh air and change of environment can do wonders to lower your stress levels. You can even use the time to do some of those errands you never get around to, like going to the post office or the bank. Think about those sixty minutes a day as the perfect opportunity to spend a bit of time on you.
- Improve your digestion – When we eat our food too quickly we expose ourselves to a greater chance of indigestion, acid reflux and bloating. Eating more slowly will help your digestive system to work properly, meaning that you swallow less air, which minimises trapped wind.
- Feel happier – Taking an hour off work to spend time speaking to your colleagues, shopkeepers, or even people walking their dogs in the park will improve your mood. As humans, we thrive off of contact with other humans, and spending all day in a cubicle in front of a screen is not only detrimental to your health, but your happiness.
There are many more reasons you should take your lunch break and not least because you’ve earned it. Take a break. You deserve it. Your body will thank you as well.
