Fall in love with eating lunch at your desk

Here’s how to fall in love with eating lunch at your desk.

In this day and age, taking your lunch in the park or going out to restaurants or getting take out is happening less and less.

Why lunch at your desk is on trend

This is for a few reasons, one is to do with the cost of eating at out every day is more than most can afford. The second is the health disadvantages, so many of us are trying to lose weight, diabetes is on the rise and the LCHF (Banting) lifestyle is becoming more popular. The third and probably the worst reason is that there is too much to do and you don’t have time to leave the office to eat lunch somewhere else.

I am guilty of this, I often sit at my computer and eat and work at the same time. My excuse is that when I am working on my business, I am at home and tea and eats are readily available and when I am at work, I am busy with patients, so I eat a bite in between.

First

The first rule of eating lunch at your desk is that there should be no smell. So the only fish you should eat at work is found in you California sushi roll.

Reheating food at work in the microwave can be a disaster or a win, the heated food either stinks up the place or smells divine and has all your colleagues salivating. The downfall though is that an architectural firm shouldn’t smell like a fast food joint.

So unless it is freezing in the building, try and take only cold lunches, like salads and sandwiches (tuna/egg mayo should not be on the menu, chicken mayo is, however acceptable. Even the kids avoid peanut butter sandwiches at school because of the smell.

While there are some companies that don’t allow eating at your workstation, others are more lenient.

Second

Your next step is to turn off your computer for 20 minutes or so so that you are not tempted to work during your lunch break. Taking a break from work even if it is only 15 – 20 minutes, will improve your productivity to a certain extent, however sugary and fatty lunches can have a negative effect making you sleepy.

If there is a break room, why not network with your colleagues and not about work either, get to know the people you work with, you never know who you might meet, besides, eating with others is usually much nicer than eating alone.

Don’t stop eating

The next little tip is to eat all day! Yep, I said it, eat all day. Snacking on healthier foods such as nuts, pretzels and even some biltong, can keep your energy levels from dropping. Remember to drink plenty of water during the day, you may need to get up to go to the bathroom regularly but think of it this way, you are earning your 10 000 steps!

Avoid sugary drinks as these do not keep you hydrated, as well as depleting your energy, they are also now thanks to the sugar taxes (YAY) more expensive. If you need to drink carbonated drinks, stick to flavoured water.

Hygiene

The most important aspect of eating at your desk is hygiene. Clean your desk well before and after your meal. I would also suggest a bamboo that can be rolled up and put away or a fabric placemat, that can be taken home and washed at least weekly.