Bringing packed lunch to work is a smart thing to do: You can fully control your diet by deciding on the right nutrition values and portions, and save those extra dollars for a year-end holiday. It’s an extra bonus when the Thermos® Food Jar comes with perfectly engineered insulating properties that keep your food nice and warm for extended hours. However, it most certainly does not mean that you have to be stuck at your desk during lunch hours. Here are five reasons to why leaving your desk for (a packed) lunch is great for your well-being and productivity.
Conversations Breed Ideas
Staying at the same place for hours can be detrimental to the creative process. Exchanging conversations is one way for ideas to percolate and gestate. And what better way to encourage that than having lunch in a relaxing environment? Besides getting some fresh air, having lunch with your colleagues helps build healthy relationships and also lets you learn about different departments and networks, leading you to gain fresh insights and ultimately, valuable ideas.
A Dose of Sunshine
Imagine sitting under fluorescent lights for 8 whole hours – depressing, isn’t it? Soaking up the sun for brief moments can jumpstart the production of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter believed to be connected to mood and happiness. Researchers have found that getting a dose of sunshine can help fight fatigue and enhance stress recovery, which means a happier you.
The Extra Steps
A short 10-minute walk to a lunch venue is a wonderful way to fit in some exercise – especially for busy people – as opposed to the 10-second walk-to-the-microwave-and-back kind of lunch. Think of the extra steps as a complement to your healthy packed lunch, and a way to break up your sitting time.
A Break for the Eyes
The one thing we’re all guilty of when we have lunch at our desks is gluing ourselves to the computer screen. As irresistible as Facebook and Korean dramas can be, our back, neck, eyes, and brain can definitely use a break from time to time. Take your lunch elsewhere, have a good laugh with your colleagues, and connect with people offline instead of online.
Feeling Satisfied
Distracted eating’ or ‘mindless eating’ occurs when you’re preoccupied with an activity while you’re eating. Watching TV, surfing the internet or writing a proposal as you eat can cause poor communication between your body and brain, which results in your brain receiving the message ‘hey I’m full, stop eating’ a little too late. Consequently, it leads to over-eating and excessive intake of calories. Eating with a group of people may eliminate this problem, leaving you feeling satisfied and adequately full.
