Why You Should Stop Eating at Your Desk
By Sara Butler
Work can get busy. Most of the time, you barely have time to eat lunch -- so you do it at your desk. No harm in that, right? Wrong. While eating at your desk is easy and fast, if you actually take the time to eat somewhere other than your desk, you may find that it has a positive impact on your workday. Here are a few of the reasons you should stop eating lunch at your desk.
You'll Eat Less
For most people, eating lunch at their desks means they can keep on working. While that may make you feel as if you're getting stuff done, it also means you're not paying attention to how much you're eating -- and that's a recipe for overeating.
When you eat, it's important to be mindful of your internal hunger and fullness cues. Going over expense reports or catching up on email is too distracting to pay attention to these cues appropriately and that can end up with you eating more than you need to. You're far better off eating in the lunchroom at a picnic table outside where you can listen to your body's signals.
Your Production Can Increase
You may think you're getting more done by sitting at your computer, but the truth is that your overall productivity can suffer. The human body wasn't designed to sit in one place for hours at a time each and every day. If you get up and get away from your desk for lunch, then you may find it has a more positive impact on your ability to focus and get work done after lunch. Overall, you're less likely to suffer from brain fatigue and boredom if you can get away from your desk at lunch each day.
You Move More
Getting enough movement into your day can be a challenge when you work a sedentary job. If you don't have time for a walk at lunch, then simply fitting in a short walk to the break room down the hall for lunch can make a difference. It all adds up, after all, so the more steps you can work into your day can have a positive impact, in the end, to help counteract the negative impact of all that sitting.
Do yourself a favor -- get away from your desk at lunch. It's good for your physical and mental health!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Albuquerque, N.M.