Sometimes we put a bit too much pressure on ourselves. Whether it is because we feel like we’ve not done enough or that we need to achieve something, sooner or later these weights will cause some serious damage. To your physical health, mental health, and overall well-being. But let’s get a little more specific on how are we doing that.
As I said before, we tend to be carrying big weights on our shoulders, leading to compensatory behaviors that end up being, as the saying goes, a cure worse than the disease. Most of the time, we might not even be aware of it, but we fall into an unhealthy pattern that starts with disrespecting our boundaries. A pretty common behavior is skipping your lunch break.
For some unknown reason, we believe that it’s no big deal. So we don’t eat at lunchtime, or if we do, we do it while working at our desks. Each of those scenarios has its own set of problems. Let’s dig into them and some better and healthier ways to manage those situations.
To our physical health
Our body is our temple. We need to respect and take care of it accordingly. Skipping a meal has a huge impact on our health, and we have a very helpful article here on our blog to know a bit more about the importance of good nutrition to our general and also work life.
We’ve all been there, sometimes we get so caught up in our work that we might not even feel hungry, but breaks are healthy and very much needed. To our bodies, eating is giving them the fuel they need to keep us going. Without doing it at the appropriate time, we might be able to keep going for a while, but we will be using the emergency source of energy, and won’t be able to perform as well. If this becomes a habit, it can impact our bodies on a bigger scale, which will be harder to come out of in the long run.
Let’s imagine it’s not the lunch break but another mid-shift break and you’ve already eaten. Should you skip it? Well, it might not be worth it. Yes, you might get things done a couple of minutes before. But your body needs rest as much as it needs fuel. Taking a break from work is giving your eyes a break from the screen, and your body a break from the chair. Which can make a huge difference. You won’t be pushing your limits by working nonstop until your body fatigues. You’ll get a refresh that will energize you to keep going and doing your best.
To your mental health
When we want to get more things done or do them faster, we might convince ourselves that the way to do it is not to stop until we finish, but most of the time, we couldn’t be more wrong. Just think about it, how can overloading our system with nonstop work can help us with stress or anxiety? therefore with our productivity too? Spoiler alert: it doesn’t help.
Our attention span has a limit, our concentration period too, so exceeding it is counterproductive. Taking our time to get out of the desk, eat our meal without thinking about work, and letting ourselves enjoy that moment, is a must if we want to have a sustainable, long, and productive career. And your mental health will also appreciate it.
Somedays we might think that we are saving time by eating at our desk while working… we’ve all done it. But truth be told, we are doing the opposite. We get slower, our brain goes foggier for the restlessness and we might get frustrated more easily. We’ve misused our energy and trespassed our boundaries. There needs to be a clear and healthy break between work and personal life. So, long story short, if you want to ensure the quality of your work, you need to respect and maintain the quality of your life.
To your overall wellbeing
Sure, we might feel like we are wasting some of our time on a break, so we shorten it, but we can make the most of that time and use it as something that will help our performance at work. For example, if you work at an office, your lunch break could be the perfect time for some socialization. Bonding with your teammates will make the working relations smoother and improve the work dynamic.
And you might make some friends in your personal life too. You may find that your coworker has a great taste in music and share some playlists, or that your teammate likes the same soccer team you do. Those moments to disconnect from the hustle that might work sometimes can clear your head so you are re-energized and ready to go back. We have some other great ideas of things to do to make your breaks productive, you can check them out right here.
The shortest path can end up being the longest. The cheapest deal can make you spend the most money. In the long run, it is all about knowing how to make a good investment. In this case, of our time and energy. Don’t compromise your health to being a couple of minutes ahead of schedule, or to get something done faster… In the end, you are your most valuable investment and the one that always pays off.
