Most of us are blessed with at least half an hour in the middle of the day when we get to break from our work and do whatever we please. For most of us, it’s often a case of wolfing down a pre-packaged sandwich and scrolling through social media, before getting right back to what we were doing before. Whilst there’s no shame in the odd social media scroll, or treating yourself to a supermarket lunch from time to time, on a daily basis we could all be squeezing so much more out of our lunch breaks. Whether you’ve got five or fifty-five minutes to dedicate to maximising your time off, you’re likely to be surprised at the results changing your lunch break up can have.
Give Your Brain a Workout
Some of us have jobs that are really taxing on our brains. They might require problem solving skills, interpersonal skills, or just logical thinking. It can be tempting to totally switch off during your lunchbreak, but thinking about something different can leave you feeling even more revitalized. If you’ve got a job that requires you to organise lots of different people, then take a break from socialising and work on your logic skills. Chess can be a good option and miniature chess boards are portable enough to keep in a desk in your work drawer. There are also a whole host of online games that can help you to build some new skills, including online chess. Casino games, in particular card games like poker and blackjack are popular because they require you to be quick at mental maths and think logically under pressure. Not only that, but they’re more fun than an arithmetic test. At some casinos it is possible to play for free, if you want to learn the ropes before making a deposit. Otherwise, there are plenty of options for those who want to pay to play, including online deposits straight from your bank, paying through a middleman like PayPal, or using cryptocurrency. If you’re interested in playing at a bitcoin casino then this list is helpful for finding sites that are totally trustworthy and independently verified. There’s also a troubleshooting section with everything you could need to know about making casino deposits with a cryptocurrency.
Try Some Exercise
If the idea of doing any more thinking than necessary has got you running for the hills, then consider a little exercise instead. Many of us have sedentary desk jobs, so getting out for something as simple as a walk can have massive benefits both for our physical and mental health. For those who want more of a workout than just walking, there are plenty of different options, but some of the most portable include skipping and yoga. For skipping, all you need is a rope and enough space to swing it! If you find that you’re enjoying skipping and getting good results then you might choose to invest in a digital jump rope or a skip counter. For yoga all you need is a yoga mat, which can easily be stored under a work desk. There are thousands and thousands of yoga tutorials on YouTube that are available totally free and cater to a wide range of abilities. Try to find somewhere away from the hustle and bustle of the office so that you can really focus on your breathing and feel in tune with your body.
Five Minutes of Calm
For those in high stress jobs, the idea of using your lunch break for anything other than relaxing might sound like insanity. If you fit into this category then don’t feel bad for needing to de-stress at lunch time, just find a positive way to do it. Social media and YouTube wormholes feel like an easy fix, but can actually leave us feeling worse than we did before. Instead of getting stuck scrolling, try a little mindfulness practice instead. There are lots of different formats that suit all sorts of personalities. You could go down the traditional route of meditating if you’re that way inclined, but if you find sitting still or emptying your mind difficult then you might enjoy a mindfulness walk more. If you like the idea of sitting still, but can’t unclutter your brain, then try writing a thankfulness journal. There are lots of pointers online, as well as dedicated apps that can help you to find a mindfulness practice that suits you.