Why a break in the middle of the workday matters, and how to take one
Many people insist that they don’t have time for a lunch break, but this is usually related to a belief that the lunch break will make them less productive. Most people who start taking a twenty-minute break find that their afternoon is more focused and productive.
How to take a real lunch break
- Put it on your calendar. Block 20 to 30 minutes at the same time each day. Treat it like a meeting you would not cancel.
- Leave your desk. Eat somewhere other than where you work, even if it is the next room or a bench outside the building. A change of place helps you detach from work.
- Close the laptop and put the phone away. Checking email while you eat is not a break. If you are on call, check once at the start and once at the end.
- Choose what you do. Walk, read something unrelated to work, call a friend, or simply sit and eat. Pick what actually feels restorative to you on that day.
- Notice the guilt without obeying it. The first week, you may feel restless or guilty. That feeling does not mean you are doing something wrong.
- Start small. If 30 minutes feels impossible, start with ten. Ten minutes away from your desk is far better than none.
Try it for one week and notice what changes in your afternoons.