by Michael Holland
In your quest for leadership success you must leverage every minute of every day. Back-to-back meetings, constant emails arriving, new initiatives, demanding deadlines, uninitiated employees and a personal life. Lunchtime is reserved for squeezing in whatever work can be accomplished while rushing to inhale some semblance of food. Catching up on emails tends to be a common theme.
But are you really getting ahead because of your lunchtime investment and are you modeling behavior you’d like your employees to mimic? I wonder.
A lunch break – which we’ll define as 10 to 30 minutes – is an investment in nourishing your body and soul to rejuvenate your energy, allowing an increase in stamina. Consider these alternative approaches.
- Eat “real food” while reading a novel that takes your mind away.
- Take a walk in the sunshine around the block or parking lot or, if you’re lucky, in the park-like setting next to your office.
- Meditate or power nap or maybe it’s a combination of the two.
- Take a spiritual break. Use the time to connect with your personal spiritual force, whatever form that may take.
- Plan the tactical approaches to your personal life. Dissect and solve a home life leadership situation or strategize about how best to help your son enjoy his tree fort.
- Laugh with friends. Watch an episode of The Office. Or watch the best of Saturday Night Live.
The right nourishment of your body and your soul will improve your productivity and might just model better behaviors for those who follow you.
Take Action: Get started with one lunch break investment per week.
