The Importance of Technology-Free Lunch Breaks at Home
While being able to avoid rush hour traffic has been a blessing in disguise, new complications have arisen from being required to work from home due to COVID-19. It’s important to check in with your mental health on a regular basis to ensure you’re balancing time dedicated to technology, social interaction, and self-care.
Taking frequent breaks and moving throughout the day at home is essential to staying sane because it increases your energy and ability to focus, and decreases the risk of long-term negative physical health effects, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, adipose or fat tissue around the waste, according to Dr. Ashleigh Pona, a clinical psychologist at OSU Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
When working from home, it’s easy to forget to take your lunch break or feel as though you must continue to work as you devour your quickly-made turkey sandwich. A designated technology-free lunchtime, however, can be cleansing and rejuvenating, and will help you to reset focus.
Going into an environment without a computer or TV to eat your lunch prevents distraction, thus allowing us to be more intentional and mindful about what foods we put into our bodies. This “translates into being more satisfied by what we eat, so we eat smaller portions, [and] pay more attention to the balance, the nutritional components of our meal,” says Meghann Featherstun, a clinical dietician at University Hospitals in Cleveland.
Studies also show that multitasking is, in fact, detrimental to our productivity. So eating while frantically trying to complete an assignment on time is actually not as efficient as you’d think.
It’s important to take regular breaks throughout the day to improve your mental and physical health. Whether it’s doing 10 jumping jacks every hour, going on a walk in the middle of the day, or eating lunch in the absence of technological distraction, we all need to remember to check in with ourselves as we continue to adjust to life during COVID-19.
Rather than eating while you work, try some of these alternatives instead:
Eat outdoors then go for a walk to digest
Read a book while enjoying your meal
Practice mindful eating
Do a quick 10-15 minute workout (yoga, cardio, abs, etc.) to let out energy before eating
Make lunchtime your designated “me-time”: Write in your journal, set goals for your future, or make a list of 5 things you love about yourself