When was the last time you actually took your lunch break? And I don't mean inhaled a sandwich while typing an email, I mean left the office for a whole hour? It is probably hard to remember and it was probably because you had to get a present, meet someone or deliver something? Rather than it is my lunch break, I am going out for a break?
We are all up against it, constantly darting from meeting to meeting, serving customers or replying to emails but we all need to get out and have that short amount of time to be away from our desks. Even if it's just popping out for a coffee, instead of grabbing it to go, why not sit down and take that twenty minutes to think about your morning at work. What have you achieved? What could you have done better? What do you still need to do?
Self reflection can deliver exceptional results and it's something, I believe, we don't do enough of.
I run a wireless communications company with my business partner, Chris and I actively encourage our staff to take their lunch breaks, in fact we have 15 Golden Rules and rule number 13 is as follows;
Rule #13
We Work Hard, Play Hard and Eat Lunch. At lunch we get out of the office. Eating at our desks is an exception, not the rule. We all need breaks to work effectively. We work hard during the day, taking the time to think and review when required.
Don't get me wrong, this often falls on deaf ears and we know it's not always possible with deadlines and days off looming, but when it is, we tell our staff to take their break.
And when they have taken it, it's noticeable. They return more positive, their ideas are often crisper and their attitude and ability to work is improved.
It may seem like such a simple thing to do but I would encourage you to try it, even twice a week and see how it changes your working dynamic?
Good luck!
