7 Beautiful Ways To Use Your Lunch Break For Self Care
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What pops in your mind when you hear the phrase ‘lunch break’?
For many people, it’s just “eat something, use the bathroom, take a quick breather and back to work”, because you’re just… already tired.
And it’s pretty normal to feel tired and moody as soon as your lunch break kicks in.
When you have been working for quite a few hours, your energy levels tend to go down.
Hence, you lose interest in work and your mood goes down as well.
But what if I tell you that you can use your free time to decompress and reflect, and make your lunch break a blissful retreat? Even if you only have an hour or even less for your lunch break, there are plenty of things you can do to recharge and refresh yourself.
If you want to use this time to care for yourself instead of just eating your lunch at your desk, then keep reading – I have a few ideas for you!
7 Beautiful Ways To Use Your Lunch Break For Self Care
1. Unplug
When you only have a small break, you feel that you cannot do much anyway and choose to go on your phone to get through the break… But if you want to be more mindful and do something that is good for you, try to relax your mind and put your phone down for a while.
Ditch the gadgets and meet a friend for a quick chat, read a few pages of a book or take a walk outside.
Get your thoughts in order and forget thinking about work for this time.
Connect with nature and breathe that fresh air into your lungs.
Even if you work in an urban area where you’re surrounded by tall buildings, even looking at the sky can rejuvenate your mind.
2. Snooze
Taking a nap at work may sound weird, but resting your mind and body can increase your productivity and will keep you interested in work.
You’ll feel motivated to work after a short 10-20 minutes snooze.
Of course, not all workplaces are comfy enough for that, but if you have your own office room or, if your workplace has a dedicated room for napping, make sure to use it!
3. Eat (mindfully)
Well, this one may sound like a no-brainer – after all, it is called ‘lunch break’ for a reason… But, don’t just eat for the sake of it.
Instead, appreciate the food, the aroma, the taste of each ingredient, chew slowly, and savor every bite.
Make eating a nice, slow, and happy ritual that you can have just by yourself.
If you are bored of eating that same sad sandwich, prep your lunch for the whole week on the weekend and have something yummy every day.
4. Breathe
Sit down in a comfortable position and take long breaths.
Clear your mind of any thoughts and focus only on breathing.
Breathing helps you to calm down your nerves.
You can also do a quick stretching or mini-workout in your office, even yoga if you fancy that!
As a working woman, you may not get time to go to the gym daily, so utilize this time and squeeze some movement we all so desperately need.
5. Get crafty
Another beautiful way to unwind is by working on something creative.
If you can find a quiet and private corner, you can spend a good part of your lunch break being mindful with a crafts project, a doodle, a thought journal, a jigsaw puzzle, or maybe even an adult coloring book.
If you’re the creative type, you might be missing out on your passion of getting artsy due to work piled up on you, so use this time to do whatever pleases you, and remember to keep it fun, easy, and relaxing.
 Adult Coloring Books Set – 3 Coloring Books for Grownups by Creative Calm Studios
6. Hydrate
Not drinking enough water can cause fatigue and make you feel tired and light-headed.
Ensure that you drink plenty of water throughout the day and don’t worry about how many trips you are going to take to the bathroom.
Water can release toxins from your body and make you feel refreshed, thus increasing your work efficiency.
If you haven’t been drinking enough water throughout the day, sit in a nice, calming place and slowly drink a glass of water, sip by sip.
This will re-hydrate and rejuvenate your body + it’s the simplest, cheapest act of self care you can have!
7. Call someone you love
It could be anyone – your spouse, partner, an old friend, or your family.
Talk to them about your day and ask them about theirs.
Let them remind you of how you are loved, and it will instantly boost your confidence.
Chat with them and smile with them – positive socialization is a beautiful way to boost your mental wellness and mood.
Self-care isn’t just about a spa day or painting your nails – it can be as simple as breathing and letting your mind be at ease. It is crucial to have a little break every day to yourself, away from all the chaos… So if you don’t get enough time for yourself, make your lunch break YOUR time and you’ll notice that you feel a lot better after it.
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