Lunch break self care: a daily mindfulness checklist

Whether you’re a student, a freelancer, a full-timer, or perhaps you’re between jobs, taking time in the middle of your day to re-centre and refresh is a must-do for busy folk; and let’s face it, we’re all busy folk. Very few people can really focus for eight or nine hours a day without pause, so taking a break between tasks is essential to clearing your head and preventing burn out.

We get it; time is valuable. But, so are you. And, if you can only take 10 minutes out, this is how you can spend it (at any time of day).

A daily mindfulness checklist

1. Nourish
   Refuel your body with food and water to keep you feeling energised and able to concentrate throughout the afternoon.
2. Breathe
   There’s always time to take three deep breaths. Feel the air filling your lungs as you breathe in through your nose, and the air passing your lips as you exhale. Need a little more time? Keep going, counting the breaths as you go.
3. Centre
   A busy morning will probably have your mind buzzing with plans, concerns and things to do, but your lunch break is yours and poses the perfect opportunity to centre and calm your mind. Take those breaths, be in the moment, observe all five senses and let the day’s worries melt away. And, you know what we’re going to say, the phone needs to go away for this to happen.
4. Stretch
   Too often, we computer-oriented workers sit for hours on end (usually hunched over) with very few moments of movement. Use this time to stretch it out, take a walk if you can and roll the shoulders – every day.
5. Smile
   When you’re sitting at a desk, whether in an office or by yourself, you can go hours on end without cracking a smile. Think about something you love, something that makes you laugh, or something that relaxes you, and allow yourself a face-stretching smile.