| Too many of us have become almost martyrs | | | | "thank you" and giving it what it needs to work at |
| for the sake of the job, and often times even | | | | its highest level. This is not the time to starve |
| boast about skipping lunch because we just did | | | | yourself or to be dieting. You need energy to get |
| not have the time for it. In a recent national | | | | your work done for the rest of the day and |
| survey by the top rated Juice Bar, Smoothie King, | | | | some well deserved "me time". |
| 58% of Americans admitted that they could | | | | 3. Even if you may say, "Well I don't really feel |
| easily skip lunch if too busy. Lack of time and a | | | | hungry at lunch time", you may not feel hungry, |
| demanding, on-the-go lifestyle are often cited as | | | | but you must remember that lunchtime is not |
| reasons for skipping lunch. | | | | just about the food. It is about rewarding yourself |
| In the case of workers, there also appears to be | | | | and your body for hard work with a moment of |
| pressure to do whatever it takes to get the job | | | | sweet relaxation and leisure, people watching, |
| done. Yes there is always the occasion when a | | | | reading a newspaper or magazine etc. Overall, it's |
| missed lunch is inevitable, but this should not be | | | | about simply retreating from the confines of a |
| the norm. It's as if these days taking regular, full | | | | cubicle or workspace for a little while to remind |
| hour lunch breaks has become poor work ethics. | | | | yourself that there is life going on out there! |
| When did this happen? | | | | 4. You are no good to yourself or anyone else |
| Well if you are one of the many workers skipping | | | | when you are overcharged and overspent. |
| lunch on a regular basis, I want to present you | | | | Stimulants like coffee, energy drinks, and sugary |
| with several reasons why you should take back | | | | snacks might trick your brain into thinking that |
| your lunch hour. | | | | you are really the 'energizer bunny' for a while, |
| 1. Taking lunch is a way of showing others that | | | | but sooner or later it catches up with you. At |
| you value yourself enough to take a real break | | | | some point your body will scream out to the |
| and 'recharge your batteries' so to speak. If you | | | | mountains that it has had enough through |
| show others that you will go on and on like the | | | | stress-induced signals like health problems, fatigue |
| 'energizer bunny', even if you're ready to drop, | | | | and the like. |
| they may always be throwing things at you on | | | | Most people skip lunch either because they feel |
| your lunch hour. The fact is that you are not the | | | | they don't have enough time for it or they are on |
| 'energizer bunny'. You need to stop and refuel. So | | | | a diet and have put themselves on a strict weight |
| it is very important that you train others to | | | | loss plan. But the results of skipping lunch in |
| respectfully honor your break time. | | | | general are often detrimental. You may feel |
| One suggestion is to politely tell them something | | | | light-headed, you usually function at a lower |
| like "I want to give my best to this assignment, | | | | capacity, you may be more irritable, and your |
| but I just don't function when I don't eat. After | | | | concentration and focus may not be at their best. |
| I've had my lunch break, then I can give you | | | | Moreover, instead of a proper meal, you might |
| 100%". It might also be helpful to put a sign on | | | | have simply gobbled down a "quick bite" which |
| your door or outside your cubicle that states "At | | | | was most likely not as healthy. Later on in the |
| Lunch". It might take them a while, but most | | | | day or at dinner time, with your body in a true |
| people will eventually get the idea and give you | | | | 'starvation state', you may overindulge, consuming |
| your space | | | | far more than you would have, had you just had |
| 2. Your lunch hour, makes up a modest part of | | | | a proper lunch or some kind of meal at lunch time. |
| your work day, even less if you only take a half | | | | So you can clearly see how vicious the cycle can |
| hour lunch break. You have 7-71/2 hours of time | | | | become, all because of the commonly accepted |
| to devote to work. If you are unable to show | | | | practice of skipping lunch at work. All in all, it is not |
| gratitude for the 7-71/2 hours of performance | | | | worth it, because your nutritional and overall |
| and function that your body gives to you, then it | | | | health are commodities that you cannot stand to |
| might not work at that capacity for very long. | | | | gamble with. |
| Taking a break is a way of telling your body | | | | |