Healthy Work Break Habits

Central Oregon Cascades from Smith Rock

Begin taking full advantage of your time by creating healthy work break habits.

Many people use their lunch hour as just that. A lunch hour! While it is important to nourish your body it is equally important to take full advantage of this time.

There are many things you can use this time for that will allow you to grow and create your ideal life balance. The lunch hour is a perfect time to cultivate new healthy habits in your lifestyle.



“We are not limited by who we rather by our unwillingness to change.”

Mornings and evenings are often consumed by family time and preparing for the work day. We miss out on important habits like exercise, reading, meditation, planning, reflection and personal activities that we desire to do with our lives.

The lunch hour is a perfect time to get away from your desk and embrace the opportunity to take on these healthy habits. Successful people often use their break as a time to reboot and revitalize the mind and body. Become one of them today by overcoming your unhealthy habits.

Ten Healthy Work Break Habits That Will Energize You

1. Exercise: As little as 20 minutes of medium intensity exercise can really boost your mood, productivity and happiness. This will help you build a more successful career and live a more healthy abundant life.
   
2. Read a Book: Challenge your thinking, expand your knowledge, experience the library. Continual self learning is one of the greatest things with can provide ourselves.
   
3. Write: Writing expands our mind and opens our thoughts to experiences we have never thought of. It is a creative outlet where we are free to be our true authentic selves.
   
4. Meditate: Spend 60 seconds counting your breaths. Sit in peace and quiet for 5 minutes doing nothing at all. Clear your mind and boost your energy.
   
5. Go On a Walk: Walking is guaranteed to increase blood flow to your brain which is very important after hours of sedentary work and it will certainly boost your energy level.
   
6. Skip Down the Street: Skipping is great exercise, boosts your mood and makes others laugh. You will feel a bit ridiculous while engaging in this childish act but it is sure to give you a healthy result.
   
7. Plan Your Week: I often use my Monday lunch break to finish planning my week and do some reading.
   
8. Catch Up with Friends and Family: A five minute phone call is often all you need to strengthen your relationship with a loved one. Why continue putting these calls off?
   
9. Community Goodwill: Help out your community. Use your lunch break once a month to volunteer your time in an area that you truly care about. You will feel better about life and your community will benefit.
   
10. Nourish Your Body: Of course, I am not suggesting you take up a habit to improve your life and in turn skip out on nourishing your body with the energy it needs. A great way to improve your productivity and function is to eat small portions every few hours. Your brain actually needs a protein boost every few hours and not one huge indulging meal at lunch time.
    

“Unless we stop now to redesign our working norms, we are at risk of moving toward an ever less thoughtful and creative professional reality.” -  Derek Dean

Too often, I see people disregarding this valuable time. You can start benefiting today by implementing one of the healthy work break habits listed above or something you may find more desirable. I am not suggesting you jump right in and commit to a full hour of these, but taking a small amount of time for you will certainly boost your productivity, happiness and well being.

How are you going to spend your lunch break today? Has this article helped you re-think how you use this precious time?

Summit as friends!
Scott Rowley

---