I have encountered many people across the globe who engage in the “working lunch” and it is a practice that I am against. The lunch hour is an essential part of your day. It is the opportunity to reset and prepare yourself to go again. Taking at least 1 hour in your workday to do something other than work helps to improve productivity. In a study published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International the “results showed a positive impact on employees’ health, performance and reduced stress at work if the favorable one-hour lunch break is practiced.” (Harkoo et al, 2021)

Workplace stress has risen significantly over the years with the increase in the pace of the workplace. People experience high levels of anxiety and panic attacks because of the pressure of the workplace. I believe that taking that 1 hour for lunch is essential for reducing this, especially if you take some of that time to engage in an exercise that destresses you. Some of my favourite suggested practices during the lunch hour are: breathing exercises, playing suduku, crossword puzzles or online games, reading, walking outdoors or outside of the office place, meditating/praying, cracking jokes with co-workers and most importantly: eating. Sometimes people forget to eat during the day and the lunch hour gives you the opportunity to do just that, hence the reason it is called the lunch hour.

Ensure that you take your lunch hour for yourself. Spend it doing something other than work. I often take my lunch hour in a different environment, away from my workspace, and I have found that this works wonders for productivity. A change in environment can help you to change your perspective, so switch it up. If you are reading this and it is time for lunch; take your lunch hour!