The Corporate Conundrum Of Lunch Breaks: Step Away From That Desk for Your Mental Health!

Over the last decade, I’ve made it a point to take real “lunch breaks” away from my desk and work area at every office job I’ve had. However, my colleagues often questioned me as I left with my coat and purse: “Where are you going?   Are you leaving for the day?” It’s as if they think I’m trying to escape from prison! So, to appease my co-workers, I simply say that I’m going out for fresh air.

A real break or lunch break is not about picking up a quick bite from a nearby deli and then returning to a kitchen/lounge or, worse, your desk. It’s about taking a real break, stepping away from work to recharge, and coming back refreshed.

However, there’s a strange stigma attached to leaving one’s desk for a break. Stepping away implies you’re not giving your best, while the opposite is true.  
 
Preferred Health Magazine asked mental health expert Dr. Rosann Capanna-Hodge (visionary founder of The Global Institute of Children’s Mental Health and Neurotastic® Brain Formulas) about the increasing pressures of becoming a workaholic, working through one’s break and redefining your lunch hour in toxic corporate settings.

So, if you’re glued to your desk daily, she’s got some insight for you!