Does lunchtime pass in a blur of deadlines and ill-timed meetings? With one in five of us not taking a single lunch break during the working week, it is not surprising that 49% of office workers feel stressed at work on a daily basis. With compelling evidence demonstrating the benefits of lunch-breaks, I am blanking out two lunchtimes a week on my outlook calendar to explore new horizons. If you want to join me, here’s my top 5 tips for a more liberating lunch break.
Office Breaks The Melt Room
1) Get your sanity back
If stress levels are hitting the roof and you are already on to your third kit kat, re-gain a sense of some inner calm with a lunch-time meditation session. Inner Space in Covent Garden offers free guided meditations between 1.00 and 1.30 or try the London Buddhist Centre for slightly longer sessions. Guaranteed to get you deep breathing and breezing through till 5.00pm. Image courtesy of Hckyso on flickr.
meditation
2) Learn something new
If you yearn to swap office for lecture hall but know that your university days are well behind you, why not take in some free bite-size lunch-time lectures at some of London’s finest institutions. For the incredibly curious, The Wellcome Collection offers 45 minute lectures on subjects ranging from pain to parapsychology or catch up on the latest research findings at University College London. Culture vultures can head to the British Museum or Courtauld Institute of Art for regular talks on art and history. Image courtesy of Benjamoon from flickr.
British Museum
3) Run off to the circus
One of those days when you feel like running away? Liberate yourself from the endless mental to-do list with a quick swing on the high trapeze. Guaranteed to banish pent-up angst and frustration, a spot of lunch-time acrobatics brings a whole new meaning to agile working. Work-place team visits and team building events available. Image courtesy of lagniappemobile from flickr.
Cirque du Soleil
4) Tour the world
When you go out for lunch, do you find yourself heading to the same familiar haunts and ordering the same old thing? For a more inspiring lunch-time, shake things up by trying a new venue with entirely different cuisine. Although spoilt for choice in London, if you are stuck for new ideas when not try Archipelago where you can chow down on an eclectic range of cuisine ranging from crocodile to kangaroo or sample more globally-inspired tucker on offer at the aptly-named Greedy Cow. Image courtesy of Marmite Toast on flickr.
5) Re-discover your area
The every-day landmarks around your office may be engrained into your consciousness but how well do you really know the area in which you work? Take a fresh look at your surroundings with a guided lunchtime walk. Discover the other side of Holborn courtesy of Inmidtown or explore the dramatic changes coming to King’s Cross as part of the King’s Cross Central development. Wherever you are based in the capital there is also a wide range of self-guided walks to help you delve deeper into your working milieu. Image courtesy of King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership
King’s Cross Central
How do you spend your lunch-time? Do you have any other ideas? I would love to hear from you.