How To Reduce Stress At Work During Lunch. 10 Top Tips!

Some days are tougher than others. Your work starts with not so good news. You grudgingly carry on, as your inbox fills and paper covers your desk. You can't wait for lunch, when you eat your frustrations while ranting to your equally stressed officemates. You then spend the rest of the day low-key anxious, shoulders tense or gritting your teeth, checking the clock every five minutes till you can leave your desk.

Many of us use food to relax so you’re not alone! But food’s not the only answer. So how to reduce stress at work?

Follow these 10 suggestions on how to handle the pressure better over your lunch break!

Get up and move: actions to help manage stress at work

Skip the sad desk lunch.

Basic but has to be said. On rushed days, it’s tempting to stay at your desk and work straight through. Don’t do it.

Those few minutes are better spent this way: Push your chair away from your desk and stand up, Fill your lungs with air, then exhale. Put your phone down, or at least hide in your pocket or bag. Walk away – even just to the pantry, or the lobby couch. Simply resting your eyes from the screen and getting your blood circulating will force your body to relax.

Go for a walk outside.

Lunch breaks under the noontime sun can be too hot to go outside, so be flexible. The point is to be physically away from your work space as much as possible at break time. Sitting too long has long-term health risks, as does staying at your work space even during breaks.

A breaktime walk is especially refreshing if you work from home. Spending the whole day in one place, with one view, can be surprisingly draining. Even a short walk around the block helps.

Round up your office buddies and take a quick walk or run errands. Knock a mundane task off your to-do list. Stare at a garden or visit a gallery. The new surroundings and fresh air help, but so will the conversation with others.

Power nap: 15 to 30 minutes

Power naps have been proven beneficial for busy people like Napoleon, Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill; Leonardo Da Vinci’s sleep schedule specified 20-minute naps every four hours. This micro shutdown provides a wide range of benefits, from quicker reaction time to better short term memory. Your office may have a lounge or sleeping area for employees to kick off their shoes and rest during break periods. If not, ask HR if it’s alright to power nap at your desk. Don’t assume – verify first so you’re not called out for sleeping on the job!

Work out.

There’s a reason gyms have lunchtime classes. The adrenaline rush automatically cleanses your mind and jolts you awake. If you have a fitness tracker, looking at your chart and seeing it inch closer to your goal is a small win no one can take away.

Stretches and “desk workouts” can give some of these benefits (but not quite the thrill) without leaving the office.

Mental moves: take a screen/stream break.

For many Pinoys, lunch break is social media time. Scrolling the news, laughing at it with friends, and playing funny videos again and again, as automatic as extra rice. Others hit YouTube or their favorite streaming network, for one episode perfectly timed for lunch. Many working parents use the time to call home and check that the household is still on track.

If this works for you, great! But we all know, social media or home updates can turn stressful fast. So consider a screen/stream break. It’s no coincidence that many of these force you to stop multitasking and focus your concentration, even for a short while.

Speak to a friend.

Yes, simple as that. Call them. If you’re in the neighborhood, step out for a coffee. Sometimes, just hearing a voice or seeing a smile from outside work is enough to lift the clouds from your day.

Read a book.

We’re not talking War and Peace. (But if that’s your jam, why not.)  A good lunch break book takes your mind to a different place, even just for a few minutes.

Choose one that’s light yet interesting, that you can finish – or finish a chapter of  – within your break. Your fave magazine, short stories, a biography of a favorite person, collections of comic strips or quotes. Save the “can’t put it down” titles for after work! Note: e-books are fine, but old-school paper has the added plus of resting your eyes from the glare of the screen.

Meditate. Pray.

Meditation does a Marie Kondo on your mind: lowers stress levels, and resets your focus and concentration. Why not try it in the office? You don’t need half a day, incense, chimes or special clothes – just a still, silent place, maybe an empty meeting room. Set your intention for the rest of the day. Take deep breaths through your nose, exhaling through your mouth. Let go of your thoughts and unburden your mind from earlier in the day. Ideally, one should meditate before lunch, but after is fine too. Just eat light so you don’t become too full to concentrate.

If you’re a person of faith, prayer or reading a religious text can be similarly centering and beneficial.

Doodle, journal, take up a portable craft, solve a puzzle.

Switch channels your “work brain” during lunch break. .Whether you use a simple pencil or a fancy software tool, just start drawing. Let your hand flow as it will and see what comes out. Especially if you have a job that deals with exact figures or strict accuracy, working the creative muscle in your brain can be very relaxing. Others like to knit, crochet or embroider; crosswords or sundoku can work too.

Listen to classical music or a podcast

Various studies have shown that slow music, such as classical, helps de-stress by improving mood, lowering blood pressure and heart rate, and relieving depression. Take a break from pop and rock – lyrics can pull you in or make you even more high-strung. With classical music, you won’t be distracted by lyrics and you can just let the music flow through you.

For others, a calm soothing voice (think #ASMR videos) in your ear can work wonders. Queue up a podcast, preferably funny, non-work-related or both, and let your mind drift.

Even if your day starts out on the wrong note, you can change it. Manage your mood and show stress who’s boss. Cut the bad energy that puts a downer on your morning, and you’ll carry on feeling better and invigorated for the rest of the day.

If lunch breaks, evenings and the weekend are still not enough de-stressing, the answer may not be play, but work.#SEEKBetterat JobStreet, and find a job you won’t need to de-stress from.

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Finally, consult the rest of Career Advice, to help you make the best choices. You’ll also find expert insights and advice to manage your mental health, well-being and relationships with colleagues.