Workday time management and preparation will make sure you never skip lunch again
When your schedule is packed, meals are typically the first item to be cut. You probably know why you should be making time to eat lunch, but how can you do it when there are a bunch of other tasks screaming for your attention?
The keys to never skipping lunch again are equal parts preparation and time management, and if you do both well, you can be sure you never go hungry during the workday again.
Stock your office “pantry”
Create a mini “pantry” in your desk or office kitchen, filled with snacks like protein bars, apples, nut butters, and anything else you might crave.
If you always have snacks on hand you’ll be much more likely to eat regularly. Plus, healthy snacking can boost your energy levels and help you stay focused.
Meal prep is a swamped businessperson’s best friend
Going out to eat every day can be a huge time suck, and most office kitchens aren’t conducive to preparing great meals. But, if you prep your meals ahead of time, you’ll have grab and go food at the ready.
It might not be as refreshing as grabbing lunch at a local restaurant, but it’s far better than missing meals.
It’s tempting to skip meals, but try not to fall into that trap
You might feel more productive if you sacrifice lunch and forgo short breaks, but is that really true? If your work leaves you mentally exhausted, resetting around meal times could be just what you need to keep the creative juices flowing.
Plus, with your drawer of snacks and previously prepared meals, there’s little reason to skip eating.
If you need to work through lunch, multitask
Sometimes, we simply can’t leave our desks for lunch. It isn’t always possible, or we’d rather keep working so that our workday is shorter, and that’s okay.
If you know that you’re prone to skipping meals, try to block out time around lunch to do work that you can accomplish while you’re eating. From clearing out your inbox to catching up on the latest industry news, choose something that allows you to eat your food while still getting things done.
Schedule working lunches with coworkers
Another way to fit in lunch while ticking things off your to-do list is to schedule regular working lunches with your colleagues. Whether you bring your own food to the conference room, or leave the office to eat out, this is an excellent way to switch up your workday.
The change of environment could even allow you to reach new solutions in a casual setting, and it’s a welcome break from communicating via email.
Time management is important, but preparing for workday meals is even more important
Making sure that you’re adequately prepared is the biggest factor in guaranteeing that you never need to skip a meal again. You can streamline your schedule perfectly, but if you’re extremely busy, that won’t be as helpful as having a plan and acting on it.
