Why is taking a lunch break so important? With Jessie Pavelka

Getting back into routine thinking
We put it to Jessie Pavelka, globally acclaimed health, fitness and wellness expert, and co-founder of Pavelka Wellness on how we can use routine thinking to rewire our healthy habits. Jessie says that recognising when our healthy habits have broken down, and the reasons behind this, is key. “Our need to survive in the face of uncertainty often leads us to focus on the things we deem most important to survival; for a lot of people that is work, and it will take the front seat. If you don’t step away from that, it can be a grind and it’s easy to see capacity with no limits. “We know, though, that energy and focus levels do become depleted and, rather than constantly being in survival mode waiting for something to happen until we act, we need to be more proactive in our approach.”
The importance of building a lunch break routine
Self-care doesn’t always make the cut in our busy schedules. But, calling time on your morning and refuelling for a productive afternoon every day is essential - in order to think and act from a healthy space. This is routine thinking. Jessie suggests that a lunch break is not only essential to refuel with healthy eats, but an opportunity to refresh your mind too. He says, “If you haven’t had a moment to think about what’s happened so far in your day between meetings, lunch is a great time to think ‘what’s next’, and to refuel. Sitting in your chair constantly, in your head, can be exhausting. But for many, it has become a reality, done for hours on end, with no thought for hydration or mobility. To me, lunch is like your pit stop. Your figurative tyre, oil and gas change to refuel and get ready for what’s to come.”Have you ever noticed that 3pm slump? If energy levels depleting, tired eyes and foggy head sound familiar, it might be helpful to address how you’re taking your lunch break, and what and when you’re eating and drinking. One of the common reasons behind the slump may be a lack of low glycaemic foods, which provide a slow release of energy. But, you might not have the knowledge to address this. You might be eating lunch on the move, combining it with your daily walk and unknowingly causing painful, bloating episodes throughout your afternoon. Navigating a change in habit, both through diet and routine can be daunting, and seeking support from a nutrition professional can be a worthy investment.You need to tell yourself, ‘12-1 is my time to eat healthily and get moving, to do what I need to do to feel good.’
How to ensure a lunch break becomes a regular fixture
Jessie wants to encourage you that, if a lunch break or your general wellness never makes it onto your calendar, you can change this. “You need to tell yourself, ‘12-1 is my time to eat healthily and get moving, to do what I need to do to feel good.’”
Jessie suggests the following for building healthy lunch breaks:
- Build healthy rituals. This is a great place to start, but they shouldn’t be seen as a tick box but, instead, as something you want to do naturally because of experience. These rituals will act to build consistency. It could be as simple as taking a five to 10-minute walk outside to get into your body. Start experiencing what it’s like to step away, appreciating all the sounds that come with it and what they mean to you.
- Truly invest in the task at hand. If that’s lunch, take the time to connect to the experience and let it have a meaning. It’s so easy to rush through things right now, but by being aware we have the opportunity to grow. Take the time to consider how it’s going to make you feel as you prepare it and eat it with a loved one.
- Identify what gives you energy and bring people into the experience. Whether that be your lunch, or a completely different activity such as a podcast, book or walk. What leaves you feeling energised? By then sharing those experiences with your teams, friends and family, you’ll start to build accountability around that one-hour window.
Jessie Pavelka is a globally acclaimed health, fitness and wellness expert, personal trainer, and co-founder of Pavelka Wellness and app JP4. Jessie’s philosophy is to help people change the way they think about health and wellbeing through building a new relationship with health, and through four key elements: Eat, Sweat, Think and Connect.
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