How to Stop Working Through Lunch
It’s fine to work through lunch every so often when you’ve got a deadline. However, you can find yourself easily slipping into working through lunch, especially if you’re working from home because:
You’re super anxious to be connected at all times, since you’re not in the office you feel the need to over compensate.
You’re worried you might get a Skype call from your boss, and don’t want to look like you’re skiving.
You’re lazy, you would normally pop to the high street or Pret for lunch, but now those aren’t close by, you can’t be bothered to go out. You make the quickest lunch you can and sit back at your desk because you can’t be bothered to do anything else!
Don’t fall into the trap of working through your lunch. It is important to take breaks to prevent a burnout. You have to remember that we may be in this situation for the long haul. Worse, is knowing you’re literally doing 5 hours a week unpaid for, that is almost an extra day a week you are working for free!!! I’m sure you’ve heard that when people are on their deathbeds and they are thinking of all the things they regret, people never regret not working more, so try your best not to do it!
Ways to Prevent Yourself Working Through Lunch
Block out time in your work calendar, so people know you’re not available in that hour
Take your time at the same time everyday, over time people will know you’re on lunch at 1 and will work around you
Set your Skype status as LUNCH, so people know you’re not skiving, simply having lunch!!
Plan to have something to do e.g. what exactly it is you want to cook for lunch.
Lunch Break Ideas
Yoga - there are loads of easy 20-30 minute yoga sessions on YouTube to follow. Sitting at your home desk all day probably isn’t the best for your posture, yoga will help counteract that.
Do a quick tidy round - you can spend less time at the weekend having to do chores if you’ve managed to fit it in your lunch hour. One super easy chore, is to do your laundry!
Go for a walk around the block - explore some new streets, and get your steps in.
Cook a healthy lunch - use up any veg that you know will go off if you don’t cook it now.
Make a lunch date - with the person you live with, or if you live on your own Skype with your family!
Lunch Break Ideas
(for those that are obsessed with working!)
Learn a new computer skill e.g. an excel formula
Watch an informative Ted Talk on career advice
Read up on career advice on how to get a promotion
Eat lunch with colleagues catch up, gain news of what else is happening around the company, make connections!
Work on your side hustle, write that blog post!
Remember this is YOUR TIME, TAKE IT BACK and LIVE YOUR LIFE.
GOOD LUCK!
