5 Ways You Can Maximize Your Lunch Break at Work and Feel Refreshed

Lunch breaks offer hidden opportunities at work, especially since it’s the time where employees can take a step back from the morning grind. Despite it being an important time of the day, many still use it to test their limits to get a head start and beat the afternoon slump. Unfortunately, studies reveal that working through lunch proves you’re anything but productive.

Allowing your mind and body to switch off from work mode can do wonders in fueling you for the rest of the day, making it easier to return to work with a re-energized zeal, focus, and brainpower. Beyond getting your taste buds going, lunch breaks offer the perfect time to get your productivity juices flowing. Here’s how it can help you get back on track:

1. Eating Mindfully During Lunch Can Help Reset Your Mood And Avoid Feeling Sluggish

People often experience deep dips in energy levels during the afternoon, slowing down their ability to focus and work. The sluggishness can hold you back when it’s time to hustle, but forcing yourself to produce more than what you can give can also make you feel fatigued by the time you clock out.

Eating mindfully can help you beat the afternoon slump, especially if you indulge in light, nutritious, and mind-boosting foods like fish, vegetables, beans, eggs, grapes, seeds, and nuts. Beyond whipping up a healthy meal, it helps to relish every bite and enjoy your mid-day snack as it can reset your mood, bust stress, and promote a sense of lightheartedness.

2. Standing Up While Eating A Light Lunch Can Help Mitigate Cramps, Reflux, And More

No doubt, being sedentary for the better part of the day has detrimental effects on your overall health, which is why businesses encourage employees to stand up, do stretches, walk around, and integrate movement in their routine to promote a healthy environment.

Speaking of which, eating while standing up can be an excellent combination as it helps reduce the pressure in the stomach, allowing you to enjoy your meals with little-to-no risk of triggering acid reflux.

This makes it the opportune moment to utilize MOVI’s electric standing desk as it can adjust to a comfortable height so you can eat your lunch all while introducing some much-needed movement to your muscles.  

3. Go Out At Lunch And Enjoy The Great Outdoors

While modern offices make going to the office feel more enjoyable with its shift to ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing designs, nothing beats going out for a few minutes to take in some fresh air. Taking a breather during your lunch break can go a long way in unwinding the mind and body, especially since breathing the open air can stimulate your happy hormones.

Taking a brisk walk to get some coffee, or taking a few minutes to spend some time going to the nearest park, can help you unplug from your tiring routine, uplift the mood, and boost your memory function by the time you get back to work.

After all, a gentle stroll out for lunch combines low-impact exercises and relaxation techniques all in one, making it a great activity that can reset your energy.

4. Socialising With Friends And Office Mates During Lunch Breaks Can Ignite Your Creativity

Being around like-minded people can help take your mind off the work bubble and think about something that makes you laugh, curious, happy, and other positive emotions that can ease your built-up stress.

With that in mind, why not go out with your friends during lunch and catch up on your weekend getaway plans? Spending time chatting with your friends can be a powerful pick-me-up, one that lifts the mood to greater heights.

Talking about subjects beyond work can also introduce innovative thinking, especially if you pick up certain anecdotes or ideas that inspire your inner creativity. By having fun with your colleagues at lunch, you can help build stronger relationships and feel like a team.

5. Use A Few Minutes Of Your Lunch Break To Catch Up With Stuff At Home

In addition to unwinding with your colleagues, why not take a few minutes off your lunch break to catch up with things at home? Talking with your family or significant others can help you feel more connected, promoting some semblance of work-life balance.

Planning on what you can do to relax by the end of the day or thinking about the activities you can do over the weekend are some of the things that can help you take business talk off the table and feel a growing sense of excitement as the week passes by.

The Bottom Line: How Ergonomic Design Can Boost Your Comfort And Productivity At Work

Taking lunch breaks may sound like a regular occurrence, but people tend to overlook its importance and the pivotal role in recharging both the brain and body. Beyond eating nutritious and delicious meals, it’s the time of the day where you can redirect your mind to relaxing activities.

Be it going out for some fresh air, taking a short, brisk walk to buy a good cup of coffee to beat the afternoon slump, and other quick pursuits that can recuperate your energy. Taking movement breaks between crunching numbers at work can also do wonders in mitigating fatigue, allowing you to feel good from head-to-toe.

How Can Our Furniture Help Create An Ergonomic Environment?

Our furnishings combine the science of purpose-driven design and layout to enhance the workflow, comfortability, and flexibility of the environment. By allowing employees to work in an inspiring office and changing the way they interact with the setup, even a nine-to-five job will feel like a breeze as the morale and productivity increases.

We can help complete your business to create an ergonomic environment as we offer some of the best standing desk setups. Browse our website and check out our wide selection of height-adjustable standing desk in Australia, where you can feel the MOVI difference with our smart features, automated lift, and unique design that are sure to take your space to the next level.