Important Reasons Why You Should Take a Lunch Break Every Day

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Have you ever come back from a lunch break and felt groggy, foggy brained, sleepy, or just plain old unproductive? More than likely, you feel that way from the greasy French fries, hamburger, and ice cream shake you ate for lunch. Why not take a lunch break that benefits both mind and body? With a few simple changes you can increase your productivity between lunch and that 5 o’clock bell and feel great, instead of grumpy.

Are you skipping lunch? Or are you just wolfing down some food and then getting back to business in 15 minutes or less? It’s true that many people don’t bother with lunch because they feel the pressure from their boss to be “more productive.” Listen, if you are one of those people who work through lunch, you are risking your health. Is your job worth that?

Read on about the important reasons you not only need a lunch break, but the best things you can do during that important hour.

1. You need quality time away from your office

Your brain can only focus on something for a certain amount of time before exhaustion sets in. Getting away from your desk allows your brain to take a break from whatever task you have been doing for the past few hours and allows it time to rest and rejuvenate. You will find that when you get out of the office, even if you just walk around the block a few times, your head will be more clear and you will be more productive when you get back.

2. You might eat less with fewer distractions

If you get out of the office and pay attention to what you are eating, chances are you are much more likely to make smart food choices, truly enjoy your food, and studies show that when we pay attention to what we are eating, we eat less.

3. Change your environment

Sometimes, coming directly back to the office after lunch is, well, let’s be honest, sometimes it’s a bummer. Try to find another place right after lunch to get some work done. Perhaps take some paperwork to the office cafeteria, or the silence of an empty conference room. Changing the pace sometimes does wonders for our outlook. Why do you think people have more sex when they are on vacation? Location, location, location!

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