How do you recharge during lunch?
For starters, we’re assuming that you have blocked off a chunk of time between patients so that you can get a bite to eat. In addition to eating, what do you do with that time? Catch up on paperwork? Chat with a friend? Run some errands?
For productivity expert Bob Pozen, the efficiency gained by eating at your desk might not be worth it if you could gain even more by stepping away. Fast Company blogged about Pozen’s ideas for how to maximize the value of a lunch break:
You could eat alone — perhaps away from a screen. Pozen says that since you’ll sometimes have a very full day, eating alone can help you restore your personal resources. And don’t pull out your phone: An absence of stimulation encourages associative or integrative thought, spurring your creativity. As well, if you have an idea that you’re working on in your head, eating alone allows you to continue uninterrupted.
Pozen goes on to say that every individual is different—maybe you would benefit from some exercise or a brief nap (that last option sounds especially appealing)—so it’s smart to experiment with the lunch break that gives you the biggest bang for your buck and leaves you best-prepared for the afternoon.
Any suggestions for using lunch to make the afternoon as effective as the morning? Leave your answers in the comments.