Having battled the morning commute, faced an overnight avalanche of e-mails and in some cases fought for a desk, mornings can feel a bit like climbing Everest. With no reprieve in sight for the next eight hours, the day’s onslaught can seem overwhelming. Booking in a relaxing lunchtime break can provide an oasis of calm to help you cut through the chaos, banish stress and increase your productivity. Explore my top five lunch break stress busters guaranteed to leave you refreshed, re-charged and ready to take on the world.
Adam Meek On the Green
Re-claim your inner Zen – If it’s been one of those mornings when you’re gnashing your teeth and tearing your hair out by 10.00, retreat from the rigours of the external world and turn your attention inside. Inner Space in Covent Garden provides FREE thirty-minute meditation sessions especially designed for frazzled office workers. Switch off from the external chaos and you’ll return to your desk poised and more in control of the challenges to come.
Go skin-deep – Skin feeling saggy, baggy or craggy? Stress, pollution and sleepless nights can all take their toll on our faces. An express facial during your lunch-hour will not only help cleanse and scrub off the tube grime but will also increase blood flow and circulation providing a stress-busting endorphin rush to boost your mood. The firming massage techniques may also help keep the work-induced wrinkles at bay past the next performance review at least.
Walk away from it all – when work is getting on top of you, simply walk away from it all. One of the simplest but most effective forms of exercise, walking helps to take your mind off stressful events while also protecting your heart from the physical effects. If you’re based around Bankside, you can benefit from free 40 minute lunchtime speed walking sessions while those based in Holborn can take advantage of Inmidtown’s 45 minute guided tours. It’s also worth checking out Walk London’s range of London walks to find out what’s on in your part of town.
Asela Walking
Become a lunchtime warrior – Neck and shoulders in gridlock by 11.00am? Humans weren’t designed to be hunched over a PC for eight hours a day. As workloads intensify and we feel compelled to spend ever-longer hours in a state of physical stalemate, we’re storing up increasing health problems for the future. A 45 minute yoga session will not only release aching muscles and smooth furrowed brows but can also help you sleep better and gain more flexibility into the bargain.
Slow things down– if you really can’t afford take a full lunch break, even a fifteen minute break from the office can make all the difference. Grab a sarnie and head to a quiet area preferably with some green space. Allow yourself a full ten minutes to slow down and focus all your attention on savouring the individual flavours of the sandwich. (a delight if it’s posh cheese and chutney). By focussing fully on the present moment, you can disassociate from the barrage of panick-stricken thoughts and put things back in perspective. Ironically, it’s often when we remove ourselves from the problem that the most creative solutions strike. To find out more about the benefits of mindfulness visit: http://www.bemindful.co.uk
What are your top stress busters at work? Share your tips and advice here.