A couple of weeks ago, I shared this photo to my personal Instagram story, and it got me thinking about a couple of things…
First, about how grateful I am for my only successful garden to date. Those little pots of herbs and vegetables have endured an extremely rainy few months, plus a stray cat that I’ve often caught napping in them, all with practically zero care from me. It’s miraculous, to say the least.
And second, I started to think about what a beautiful thing lunch breaks are. For me, weekday lunches are rarely glamorous. Leftovers from the night before, odds and ends haphazardly thrown together from the depths of the fridge, etc.; you get the picture.
Even so, I love lunch. Because every time I intentionally step away from my desk (even an adjustable height one) to just be, it makes the rest of the day so much better. I have more energy for afternoon meetings and to-dos and find that it’s easier to concentrate, instead of fighting that horrible foggy brain feeling. Because no matter how important what you’re working on is, your sanity matters just as much.
During busy seasons, especially, it’s tempting to just reach for a power bar, eat quickly at your desk, or skip lunch altogether. Making time for something as mundane as lunch when you’ve got emails to send and deadlines to meet is probably not at the top of your list, but I encourage you to reconsider. After all, your best work never happens when you’re hangry.
Taking a lunch break can actually make your work better, too! Have you ever been stumped trying to remember someone’s name, and then it comes to you as soon as you stop thinking about it? This happens because even if you aren’t actively focused on it, your subconscious is still looking for that information and won’t stop until it finds it. Something similar happens with work; when you shift your focus away from your to-dos, your subconscious kicks in. You might find that a problem you were wrestling with in the morning, like how to word an email or find the best solution for a client, seems easy and straightforward in the afternoon!
Lunch breaks are all the better if you’re able to get some fresh air! With Lewis Park and Sessions Stand just a quick walk from our space, you literally have no excuse. Tip: haul your lunch over to Lewis Park on a sunny day and watch pups play in the dog park!
For more work and wellness tips (and non-salad-related-content), follow FireWorks Coworking on Instagram! We’d love to be friends!
