Tuesday, October 11, 2011

I should stop eating....and other ignored advice

A few months ago, I had a very smart, retired man tell me that when he used to get super stressed at work, when it felt like there was no time to take a break, that was the time he left his desk and took a breather.  The more it felt like there was no time to be spared -- the more important it was for him to step back from that project, gain some breathing space, and hopefully a little perspective.

About that time, I also stumbled onto this website, Take Back your Lunch.  The gist is people make a commitment to have a minimum of one lunch hour a week for themselves.  Away from the email, phone (or electronic tether, as it's known in some circles) --  away from work.  One lunch.

We've talked about scheduling one lunch a week for you to eat without distractions -- so you can assess your hunger and fullness levels.  How are you doing with that, by the way?

My point is this:  we know what's good for us.  Taking a break, catching your breath, eating an amount of food that fuels you but doesn't make you feel sick, stuffed, or sleepy -- these are all really positive things.  And we know it (usually at the time we are choosing to act in the exact opposite manner).

What would happen if we, like the man in the first paragraph, started acting in a way that took better care of ourselves.  What if that was are overarching focus?

Honestly, how many times a month would your business go under if you took a break as the stress ratcheted up?  How much more productive might you be in the afternoon, if you got away from work for one lunch hour?  How much would your confidence in your decision making skills improve if you actually stopped eating the first time the "I should stop eating" thought popped into your head???

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