At some companies you get a half-hour lunch break, at others an hour - and, of course, as an entrepreneur, it's entirely up to you. For me, that hour (from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., invariably) is for recharging myself completely. I prepare my food the night before so I really have an hour to myself. I don't like an hour of Instagramming, so I've collected tips for what you can do during your lunch break.
Go for a walk around the block
With this lovely summer weather, it is certainly not a punishment to go for a walk around the block. You can do this in company with other people (your roommates if you work at home, your colleagues or other people in your co-working space). Are you a tasty loner like me? Then don't forget your headphones or earbuds and listen to a good podcast. For Boss & Boss, I previously wrote a blog post about the 8 best marketing podcasts, if you're interested.
Watch TEDx talks
Actually, it's not good to eat lunch at your desk, so I always move my laptop to the living room for a while and go watch TEDx talks. I love topics like entrepreneurship, sustainability, creativity, networking, science, data and IT. The app lets you set what you feel like and how much time you have. Then a personal playlist is created for you. Very chill!
Go puzzle
We puzzle far too little. Doing puzzles is very good for brain development and is a wonderful distraction from your screen or busy social life. Puzzle books cost next to nothing at Primera or Bruna. Still want it cheaper? Try Marktplaats, my personal favorite. As a digital native you can of course also go for puzzle apps, but then you will be bothered by blue light ...
Visualize your dreams
Lately I've been reading quite a bit about a morning routine. Now, I think getting up at 7 a.m. is early enough and I get genuinely cranky if I cut another hour short of that, but I do find the things you then do in those 60 minutes very helpful. One of the elements is ten minutes of visualization. This can be anything. For example, visualize your goals and what it feels like to achieve them. Try to really feel it. I'm really trying here not to be too floaty but this is such a nice feeling. Just dreaming for ten minutes and imagining all kinds of situations. This in turn can motivate you to work toward a goal.
Go play games with other people in the office/do household chores
Make your way to the air hockey table or ping pong table. Don't have this at the office? Then a soccer ball will do as well. This exercise will help you take a break from thinking about work and relax.
Of course I understand from the homeschoolers that playing soccer by yourself is not so nice. I don't really do it myself either. Then again, you can do household chores. Doing laundry with Beyoncé on, doing your dishes while communicating with the cat or vacuuming for a while. These are short tasks that distract you nicely and are very useful.
Go out to lunch
One of my favorite activities during my lunch break: eating lunch outside! I think I missed this the most when I had a full-time internship. After all, I only had a half-hour break then, and with travel time, I simply couldn't make it. Fortunately, as a freelancer, I can work from the café or find a workspace nearby. Having lunch outside is the way to catch up with your girlfriends or schedule a business meeting. For vegan insider tips, drop me a line.
Go meditate
Last but not least: meditating! I hear more and more about this too. For example, it is recommended in "Babe, you got this!" and mega podcasts, magazines and books. A tip for when you want to start: don't start immediately with half an hour, but start with a few minutes and build it up slowly. You also have apps like Headspace or The Mindfullness App, which can help you. Meditation is a really good way to clear your head and get back to work!
