10 benefits of taking short walks during lunch break
Photo: Alex Duffy/Unsplash
12.30 p.m.
That’s exactly when I leave my workstation and head to the office cafeteria for a quick lunch. I even sit at my favorite table. After lunch, I step outside for a brief walk around the office block. I’ve followed this routine on most workdays for nearly a decade, simply because I prefer to finish lunch early and use the remaining time for a walk.
Occasionally, I also use my lunch break to talk to my colleagues, catch up on news, read a book on my tablet, listen to music or solve crosswords.
But, of all these activities, I find taking short walks to be the most rejuvenating. I usually step outside for a 15-minute walk around my office block. If it’s too hot or raining heavily, both of which are annual occurrences in Mumbai, I walk inside the office or climb the stairs. Of course, this is possible only if you work in a large office building with spacious corridors, which I fortunately do.
Walking helps clear my mind and find moments of calm, both in the office environment and elsewhere. It has become an essential part of my self-care routine. In fact, I've found that taking short walks even during the office lunch break offers other tangible benefits:
◼ It stretches your muscles and improves circulation
◼ Reduces the physical strain of sitting for long periods
◼ Enhances cognitive function and promotes creativity
◼ Helps build a supportive network in the workplace
◼ Improves social interactions in the office and elsewhere
◼ Motivates you to go back to your desk feeling more energised
◼ Increases productivity and job satisfaction
◼ Boosts your mood and sense of well-being
I've been walking since my adolescent years—to school and back, on little adventures with friends, through college and all my jobs, and even during transport strikes and stormy weather. Walking has been a lifeline of sorts, keeping me anchored and providing an enduring source of calm.
Sometimes, the journey to mental health and a balanced life can begin with something as mundane as taking short walks during the lunch break.
Walking, especially when you can walk outside, is such a healthy thing to do. Even your vision gets a break when you walk; you aren't staring at your computer or at paperwork, you're looking around at whatever you see. And walking seems to be beneficial at all ages, too. Taking a walk also gets a person away from whatever gossip and office politics there may be at the office.
Margot, thank you for commenting. You're right about walking for the sake of walking, or walking in the moment, away from the trappings of technology and other everyday distractions. Walking this way is a simple yet powerful way to recharge and clear our minds.
Walking, especially when you can walk outside, is such a healthy thing to do. Even your vision gets a break when you walk; you aren't staring at your computer or at paperwork, you're looking around at whatever you see. And walking seems to be beneficial at all ages, too. Taking a walk also gets a person away from whatever gossip and office politics there may be at the office.