After the pandemic swept away the old working culture that we’re familiar with, the habit of lunch break becomes non-priority. Those who work from home, sometimes skip lunch; those who work from office, just nibble their lunch at their desks hurriedly. But every productivity expert knows, the lunch break habit is also a part of supporting employee’s performance. An adequate break contributes to employee productivity, mental well-being and overall work performance. When lunch break becomes a nibbling session that we do absent-mindedly, it will affect our productivity in the long run: From burnout to digestion issues. So, how do we do a healthy new normal lunch habit now?
We gain focus and energy after stepping away from our desks.
A lunch break can help prevent an unproductive, mid-afternoon slump. Therefore, when you’re WFH, make sure you have lunch in your dining room. If you’re WFO and the common room/canteen is closed due to health measures, find an empty room/space to unwind and enjoy your lunch.
Involve others.
Pay an homage to the old, communal lunch break by starting a fun lunch challenge at work. If you’re a team leader, you can start by sharing your healthy lunch habit and remind your team that it’s okay to take lunch break, wherever they are working from. Ask your team to share their lunch menu, give appreciation to those who cook their own lunch or make an all-team challenge to cook recipes from a certain region in the world.
Facilitate.
Stock healthy snacks at the office’s pantry (such as fruits or unsalted nuts) or give appreciation to the best performing employee in the form of healthy catering subscription. Let’s bring back the healthy lunch habit at our work!
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