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Did you take your lunch break today? Many people don’t take time for lunch or if they do, they eat at their desks while checking emails. But lunch breaks are more than just a time to grab a meal. Breaks can actually revitalize you and make you more productive if you take the time to take care of yourself, according to Our Stories on University of Missouri Health Care website.
“Taking a lunch break can improve productivity and reduce stress in the workplace. It also has been shown to increase job satisfaction as breaks help with attention span, focus and creativity,” Lia Willis, PhD, LCSW, manager of patient and family support services at University of Missouri Health Care (UMHC) said in the story.
Take the time away from your desk, your computer, and emails and decompress. In fact, you do not even have to have a meal during lunch, suggests CNBC. Take the time to do something good for yourself. Here are five ways you can practice self-care during your lunch.
Spend Time in Nature
Go outside! Even spending a short time in nature has a positive effect on your mood, according to a blog on Workplace Testing. Find a park or other green space nearby – even if you work in a city – and eat your lunch there. Besides increasing your vitamin D, spending time in nature could help calm and relax as well as helping to boost your immunity. Being in nature is so good for you that doctors in Scotland are writing prescriptions for it. So go outside and soak up the sun.
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Go Meditate
Meditation has been proven to relax you. Just find a quiet spot, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. If your mind starts to wander back to your inbox, just concentrate on your breathing. If you cannot concentrate, try using a guided meditation app. Tune in and destress.
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Lunch Time Workout
Do you need to get reenergized? Try a lunchtime workout, suggest verywell fit. A short exercise session will help you meet your fitness goals and give you an energy boost for the rest of your workday. If you are lucky, your workplace has a gym or there is one nearby. Keep a gym bag or your yoga mat in your office so you have no excuses not to go. If not, you can take a fitness walk or do a staircase workout. Just keep moving!
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Read a Chapter of a Good book
Nothing takes you away better than reading. So read a chapter of a good book or listen to an audio book. Not a reader? Spend the time listening to a podcast or watching a video. Listening to music is also a good choice. Take the time to recharge your batteries for the rest of the day.
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Eat Mindfully
Good nutrition plays an important role in your physical and mental health, according to UMHC. Make your lunch count by eating nutrient rich foods but make sure you leave your desk and eat in a different environment. Go into the lunchroom, eat in a park or go out to eat with a coworker. Mindful Eating will keep your body and brain fueled for the rest of the day. But stay away for sugar or caffeine because when the initial energy burst wears off, it will leave you tired and unproductive.
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