Serious question.
Last week, I was reminded of the power and beauty of taking a lunch break after a reunion with an old colleague. Early on in my career, I often made time out of my day to go to lunch with colleagues or friends. These lunches were invaluable. It was where you shared your vulnerabilities. It brought connection and advice. It brought a break. Lunch is where the learning happened.
And then they started to dwindle. As I moved up the "ladder", I had less time to dedicate to myself (probably an excuse) and sadly, to others. And then COVID happened and no one lunched except in their homes...by themselves... while folding laundry and waiting for your next video call.
It's time to bring lunch back. We asked our followers on Instagram and over 70% couldn't even remember the last time they had lunch with a colleague or friend! It's time to bring back the connection and learning.
A few tricks to make sure you make lunch happen for yourself:
Set a reminder. The easiest way I have found to do this is to set a reminder on my phone to schedule lunch.
Block time on your calendar. Don't fall victim to a packed calendar. I did this all the time. Blocking time helped ensure that I could overcome my calendar and take back control.
Make a list of people you want to have lunch with. Start listing out the friends and/or colleagues you want to make sure you connect with and then go make it happen.
I know this is a seemingly simple thing. However, it's often the first thing to go when your schedule gets packed. Going to lunch is invaluable. I can promise you that you will learn something, feel more connected and refreshed.
Shine on,
Laura
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