What do you do on your lunch break?
Do you eat whatever is served in the cafeteria, or do you go to a Michelin-starred gastropub for delicious food?
Maybe you want to exercise, socialize, or take some time to prioritize the tasks you need to get done in the afternoon.
Or maybe you’re just doing things that are working against you and hindering your success.
Many people all over the world do the wrong thing and waste their lunch breaks. If you want to know if you’re one of them, check out these 8 things that unsuccessful people always do on their lunch breaks and try to avoid them.
1) They work
Why do unsuccessful people work until lunch?
I would argue that not being able to work until lunch usually hinders their success. In fact, you might be working until lunch because you can’t do what you’re supposed to do during work hours.
This suggests one of several situations.
They may not plan their day in the morning or plan effectively at the start of the week. If you don’t plan, you might forget things or use your time inefficiently.
You may also be working in a job that doesn’t match your skills. Many people force themselves into jobs that seem well-paid or interesting or exciting, only to find out that they’re not for them.
They struggle to keep up and end up working during what would otherwise be their breaks.
Another situation that can arise is that working until lunch is part of the company culture. They see others doing it and feel pressure to do the same.
They may get a lot of work done, but the only thing they can succeed at is burnout.
2) They skip lunch
When my father was still working, we often went there for lunch.
Despite the fact that his office actually had a great cafeteria and there were plenty of good food options downtown, he still regularly missed meals.
why?
Actually, I don’t know.
He said he wasn’t hungry, but given his personality, I think it’s likely that he was concentrating on work. I guess she didn’t realize she was hungry.
But at home everyone noticed.
I always knew Dad had skipped lunch because he would come home growling like a beast.
My blood sugar spiked on the way home and I was always exhausted and extremely irritable by the time I walked out the door.
Skipping lunch means you’re probably fasting for 8+ hours at work, and even a very good slow release. Foods with a low glycemic index It can’t take you that long.
The brain and body require calories for energy.
3) They eat at their desks
My grammar checker asked me to change this title to “They Eat the Desk.”
I think it’s only going to get a little worse.
Eating at your desk is inefficient and unsatisfying.
If you work and eat at the same time, you won’t be able to concentrate enough to work efficiently, and you won’t enjoy your food enough to be satisfied.
Shhh!
If you’re really under pressure, just take five and beat it.
That way you can at least remove the bread crumbs from your keyboard.
4) Choose something that is “cheap and easy”
Rather than treating themselves to nutritious and delicious food, many people choose to get the cheapest and quickest possible option.
Of course, not all fast food is bad for you. It usually takes much less time to make a salad than it does to fry a greasy hamburger.
However, in general, cheap and convenient foods that are packaged and ready to eat are super processed And it’s really not good for you.
They are usually rich in sugar, salt, ultra-refined carbohydrates, and fat.
They’re easier to digest, which means you can actually gain more weight eating them, even when compared to unprocessed foods with the same number of calories.
Choosing foods that are a little more nutritious is a great way to feel energized during the day and protect your overall health.
5) They are awake
Isn’t napping just for lazy people?
If so, call me lazy!
I love taking power naps and here’s why. If you do it right, you’ll feel much better waking up from a nap than waking up in the morning. You’ll feel energized and more creative.
But there’s a catch.
As we humans have evolved on Earth, I’m sure you’ve noticed that the Earth’s day is 24 hours long. Therefore, we have a natural sleep-wake cycle of the same length.
We usually feel sleepy at night, but sometimes it happens naturally. experience a drop in energy Early afternoon, typically between 1 and 3 p.m.
You might be lucky if your lunch break falls during this time, as this is the best time to take a nap.
But even if you don’t, a quick nap can be incredibly refreshing.
Less than 20 minutes of sleep is ideal. Otherwise, you risk falling into deep stage 3 sleep, which makes it difficult to wake up and leaves you feeling groggy.
So if you need a quick nap, take one if you can. If you keep it short, you may find that you wake up with much more energy and motivation.
6) They remain seated
If you’ve heard that sitting is the new way to smoke, there’s a good reason for that.
Many of us are turning to jobs that keep us working at computer terminals rather than jobs that involve physical labor or tasks that require us to get up and move.
There is nothing wrong with sitting in itself, but sitting for long periods of time and not being active is very bad for your body.
the link with Increased risk of diabetes, some cancers, and high blood pressure. Lack of exercise can lead to weight gain and weaken your muscles and bones.
Plus, it will only make you feel stiff and sore!
If you sit all day at work, you should incorporate some exercise, or at least physical activity, during your lunch break, such as going to the gym for a mini-workout, walking, stretching, or even yoga.
If you don’t do this and just keep sitting in the same place, your health will deteriorate in the future.
7) Does not meet social needs
It depends on your social needs, but people who aren’t successful don’t use breaks from work to meet their own needs.
This is what I mean.
If you’re isolated and have a job that requires you to sit alone at a desk all day, lunchtime may be your only chance to socialize with others.
By doing so, you can vent your frustrations, share your experiences, empathize with theirs, and feel less alone. You can also use this time to network and learn from others.
Or you can just stay alone.
On the other hand, you may have a human resources job that requires you to interact with other people throughout your workday. If you’re a bit of an introvert, you’ll find this really exhausting.
However, many people feel obligated to stay social instead of getting some much-needed alone time during their midday break.
The point is, you have specific social needs, and your lunch break is the perfect time to meet them.
However, if you aren’t practicing self-care in the moment, you’re less likely to feel happy and successful.
8) They take very long breaks
If you think taking your time to eat lunch is associated with a successful lifestyle, think again.
Sure, some people may treat themselves to a long lunch from time to time, but for the most part, successful people keep their breaks short and effective.
They know that time is more valuable than money and once spent, you can’t earn more, so they schedule accordingly.
However, unsuccessful people waste time by taking very long breaks, reducing their overall productivity for the day.
If you’re taking something like a two-hour lunch, one of two things is probably happening.
Either you manage to extend your work hours because you have to stay late to get everything done, or you simply don’t get everything done.
It’s also possible that your job is underutilized and there isn’t enough work to actually keep you busy all day. But it’s not a great position to be in because you’re not being challenged or pushing yourself towards great success.
conclusion
These eight things unsuccessful people always do on their lunch break are part of a larger pattern.
Unsuccessful people don’t manage their time well, don’t push themselves, and don’t take care of themselves properly.
This begins a life full of obstacles and failures. It all starts with lunch.