One thing I have found amazing since I became an at-home worker is the different approaches to the "lunch hour." It's time we put the break back in break-time!
When I was in the office, I always worked through lunch. I would eat whatever, healthy or typically not, that was easy to mindlessly shove in my face while working. My reasoning was simple: I didn't want to work later or earlier in the office than I absolutely had to. Not that I'm not a hard worker! But, I have a life outside of work. When you add in commute time and the like, I wanted every ounce of freedom I could get. If working through lunch meant leaving at 5:00 (or a few minutes early to beat traffic), then that was a price worth paying.
Now that I'm an at-home worker, it is very opposite. I enjoy taking an actual lunch break every day. And it makes a huge difference! Scientific research has shown that you need a 30 minute break every 4-6 hours to allow your brain to breathe and center. Breaks allow your brain to move from "focused" to "diffused" mode, where their daydreamy state allows you to make better cognitive connections. (Like when you get great ideas or remember that thing you lost while in the shower!) And breaks help us re-evaluate goals by taking a fresh perspective.
Not only is it good for your brain, but stepping away and eating a proper lunch is good for your health. Mindful, rested eating is better for your digestive system and allows you to enjoy your food and recognize signals such as feeling full. The "right" food will re-energize you for the entire afternoon without a sugary crash.
The at-home worker is in a very powerful position when it comes to lunch. They have their own kitchen! You can use a real stove, have fresh ingredients, and even cook things that stink because you won't offend anyone!! You have access to utensils, real plates, seasonings, and time. There's no reason you cannot fix a nutritious meal that will feed your brain and your body. Say goodbye to the frozen meals that come with in-office work and really enjoy the freedom that is offered to you.
You can use this lunch time for more than just lunch as well. (But don't skip that meal!) You can workout without worrying about being sweaty in the office. You can shop online or check out social media on your personal equipment - there are no office internet police on those connections. You can meditate and feed your mind and soul. You can run some errands that aren't possible in many office environments. You can even just watch some trash TV and rub the dog's belly to totally escape for a while.
Many at-home colleagues tell me that they don't take a lunch from home because they feel tethered to their machine or they miss the social aspect of lunch. Don't discount yourself! Your lunch hour is still your right, and most people generally accept lunch as a typical human priority. If you really miss the social, go out to lunch. Meet up with people. Or, in a pinch, Skype or otherwise web chat over food with your pals.
The most important thing here is to let at-home work empower you to make the most of your lunch hour and not detract from it. This time is very important to your overall success, so take the freedom you've been offered and really turn it into something. Think of that time away from your computer as food for your body, mind, and soul. Nourish yourself!!
