There is still a rather antiquated belief out there; that we should be optimising our time at every minute of our waking day. Since we only have so many hours at our disposal, we must work hard to make sure we are a raging success and all around us people will stoop and bow to our magnificence.
It's a belief that all started back in the days of industrial production when assets had to be sweated and as people were a major asset; so did we. The truth is that we aren't machines that can work consistently all day long. My 9:00 AM energy is nothing like my 4:00 PM.
We constantly ebb and flow depending on what's going on outside of us, inside of us and how our biorhythmic soup decides to tweak us at that moment. At Upping Your Elvis we know it's more important to manage your energy than your time because when you get your energy right, life is easy and fun and when you don't, it's quite the opposite. One simple way to give yourself more of a chance to ride the waves of energetic brilliance is to take a proper lunch break. We have them for a reason.
They are there to help us replenish our energy. We need time to reset. We need time to move. We need time to nourish. Especially if we are going to be playing beautifully for the rest of the day. Your lunch break is the equivalent to around 5.5 weeks of holiday a year (that’s 2.5 times the average annual holiday entitlement in America!!). And yet most people just waste it. At that time, you could learn a new instrument or language. You could read countless novels. You could write some poetry. You could get fit. You could take a nap and come out punchy! And you can certainly replenish your depleted batteries.
Many people have just got into the habit of working through it and sometimes that habit has been formed because we have teams across the world and therefore the only time we can all get together is over lunch. I get that. But if that is the case, then you can still take an hour break somewhere in your day and at a point where it will give you the boost that you need. Sometimes it becomes the cultural norm because those who are truly committed to their work demonstrate it by never taking the foot off the gas. After all, they are the ones in relentless pursuit of getting through the **** on their desk. What a toxic and soul-destroying place to work that is for you/them.
Sadly, more often people work through lunch because they are rubbish at prioritising and creating focus on what counts the most and their only way to keep on top of stuff is to work more. When you prioritise your energy and you use it to best effect on the things that create most value; your lunch time becomes a thing of beauty. A moment for reflection. A moment to relax. A moment to feed your very soul. It's an incredible opportunity to help you get your energy right.
Grasp it with two hands and notice how the rest of your day becomes more technicolor and purposeful.
Photo by Ridwan Muhamad Iqbal on Unsplash
