1 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: tip is to turn your lunch break into a mini 4 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: daily vacation. This episode is first airing in January, which 5 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: is a month when a lot of us think about resolutions, 6 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: and some of these resolutions seem like a lot of 7 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: hard work, but resolving to make more of your lunch 8 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: hour can actually be quite a bit of fun. The 9 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:41,200 Speaker 1: first step, well, take a lunch break. In some jobs, 10 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: this is contractually built in, but in others it's a 11 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: lot more nebulous. Sometimes people imagine that they're scoring points 12 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: by staying at their desks all day, but in reality, 13 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: we all take breaks, whether they're conscious or unconscious. If 14 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: you don't take a real break, brain will take a 15 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: fake one as you start reading the same emails over 16 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: and over again and then mysteriously find yourself perusing cat 17 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: videos on YouTube. Better to actually get away from your 18 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: desk for a bit. Then there's the question of what 19 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,199 Speaker 1: you do during your lunch break. Most people do consume food, 20 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:21,479 Speaker 1: though if you want to use your lunch break completely 21 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: for something else, it can be okay to eat at 22 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: your desk later, I would argue against grabbing the same 23 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: food from the same quick serve place next to your 24 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:34,320 Speaker 1: office daily. Instead, really think about what could make this 25 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: meal special. Maybe once a week you go out somewhere 26 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: decent with your favorite colleagues. Maybe once every other week 27 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: you invite a colleague you don't know well but would 28 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: like to get to know. You could also arrange to 29 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: meet a friend or your spouse once every other week 30 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: or two for a midday meal that will definitely feel 31 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: like the day's highlight. If you're watching your budget, you can, 32 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: of course bring food for these lunches, but even and 33 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: so try to make it special. A picnic with a 34 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: friend in the park some Wednesday noon is going to 35 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: feel like a real treat. Of course, some days you 36 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: might prefer to eat quickly so you can do other things. 37 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: There are several other options for feeling like lunch is 38 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: a mini vacation. One is to get some exercise. You 39 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 1: can go for a twenty to thirty minute walk with 40 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: a friend or colleague or someone you're mentoring, or just 41 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 1: by yourself if you'd like to clear your head. You'll 42 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: definitely return refreshed. If you've got access to a gym. 43 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 1: You could go once or twice a week to take 44 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: a favorite class, just take a shorter lunch break on 45 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: the other days, or do some serious strength training. A 46 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: twenty minute circuit three times a week could get you 47 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: back in time and would check off this exercise box 48 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 1: that even a lot of people who do regular aerobic 49 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: activity tend to skip. I'm a big fan of reading 50 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:01,920 Speaker 1: at lunch. If you suspect people will bother you if 51 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 1: you sit at your desk with a book, well go elsewhere, 52 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 1: a park, a nearby coffee shop, your car. Squeezing in 53 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: an extra twenty five minutes of reading each workday is 54 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: an extra two hours each week. Since most books only 55 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: take about four hours or so to read, that can 56 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: buy you an extra twenty four books a year right there. 57 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: You could also do creative work. Some things like painting 58 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: take a lot of equipment and time to set up, 59 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: so you might not do that, but that's not the 60 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,839 Speaker 1: case for sketching or cross stitching. Or you could write. 61 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 1: Twenty five minutes might not seem like much, but you 62 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: might be able to get in three hundred words or 63 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: so during this time. If you do at that pace, 64 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: you'll be able to write a book in a year. 65 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: A lunch break could also be a time for reflective 66 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: or spiritual activities. Meditating or praying can make you feel 67 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: more centered. Some houses of worship in your business districts 68 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: have short midday services, or you might be able to 69 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: squeeze in some volunteering by doing short online mentoring sessions. 70 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: And of course you can combine all of these. The 71 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: key is to actually think about it ahead of time. 72 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: Longtime listeners know that I am a big fan of 73 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: planning our weeks before we are in them. Friday afternoons, 74 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 1: as you are thinking about the upcoming weeks priorities, look 75 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: at your schedule and map out your lunch breaks. Maybe 76 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 1: on Monday you and a friend who works nearby meet 77 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,920 Speaker 1: for lunch. On Tuesday, you go to a thirty minute 78 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 1: yoga class. On Wednesday, and Thursday you read. On Friday 79 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: you go for a walk with a favorite colleague. Each 80 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 1: day is a vacation in its own way. It's possible 81 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: that all these planned lunch breaks won't happen. Work and 82 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 1: personal emergencies might come up. But if you've planned cool 83 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 1: stuff every day, it's okay. You'll still get to do 84 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: most of them and it will be pretty hard to 85 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: have a bad week if that's the case. If you 86 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 1: use your lunch break for something fun, I'd love to 87 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:12,039 Speaker 1: hear about it. You can let me know your lunch 88 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: break plans at Before Breakfast podcast at iHeartMedia dot com. 89 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 90 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 91 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 92 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:37,039 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 93 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. 94 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: That's b E the number four then Breakfast pod. You 95 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 1: can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast 96 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,360 Speaker 1: at iHeartMedia dot com. That before Breakfast is spelled out 97 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 1: with all the letters. Thanks so much. Should I look 98 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 1: forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production 99 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 100 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.