5 Reasons Why Taking Your Lunch Break Matters
In today’s high paced business environment it is easy to skip a lunch break or simply forget to take one. Whether there is too much to do, you don’t want to leave the office due to weather, or you are simply not hungry, the habit of skipping break seems to be developing among a large number of people. Skipping your lunch break can lead to poor performance for a number of reasons. Being hungry or stressed can lead to making mistakes and can cause you to forget important details at important times.
1-Healthy Life Style
Healthy living is a topic commonly talked about on TV, through the radio, and is the main focal point of many magazines. The trend of different diets is nothing new; however, the 21st century provides many more mediums than ever before to discuss such topics. Whether you are receiving advice from your doctor or simply trying the latest trendy diet, one factor remains constant. You should never go 8 hours without eating a proper meal. Stopping at some point midway through your work day to fuel your body and mind is an important part of any healthy diet and any healthy lifestyle.
2-Refresh and Refocus Your Mind
Throughout a long work day many small distractions tend to pop up. Even though you might initially be able to ignore these distractions over time, they will cause a lapse of focus. This diminished focus can lead to making mistakes or subpar work. Taking a break allows you to relax for a short bit of time and refocus on what you are doing. This break might seem like a waste of time when you are zeroed in on a task, however, stopping to take time to think and review your work will allow you to identify and correct mistakes and will lead to a better quality of work.
3-Lowers Stress
High pressure work atmospheres are common today. It would not be considered hard work if it was easy. Doing almost any job involves a degree of stress and pressure. Working on a task or project for too long can lead to a variety of health issues including high blood pressure and exhaustion. It is important to know your limit and it is equally important to step back and relax prior to hitting that point. Taking a half hour lunch break in the middle of the day forces you to step back from the immediate stresses of work and allows you to mentally decompress. This short bit of time to eat and relax mentally can greatly lower your stress at the office.
4-Time to Take Care of Personal Matters
We live in a digital age of instant information and where people expect instant responses. Taking a half hour in the middle of your day allows you time to focus on these personal matters. During your lunch break you have the opportunity to leave the office to make personal phone calls to doctors, schools, family members, and a wide variety of other institutions. The lunch break window allows you to allocate time throughout your busy day to address these issues. Furthermore, taking care of these issues outside of the office prevents any conflict of interest that can arise from dealing with personal issues on company time.
5-Improves General Office Morale
Failure to take a proper lunch break can lead to mistakes, irritation, poor health, and a lack of time to deal with personal matters. The combined effect of these things can lead to poor office morale and fosters a poor work culture. It is important for people to be working hard while they are at the office but it is equally as important for people to feel relaxed and comfortable at work. Accounting for and scheduling a break in the middle of your day to eat and relax severely reduces work stress and greatly increases office morale. So remember, no matter how busy you are or how quickly the deadline is approaching, take the time to step back, relax, and refresh your mind. This should lead to more efficient work and overall office health.
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