Stop Taking a Working Lunch in Your Online Business

Working for yourself online includes a lot of freedom. No rules to follow from an employer. You can work when you want, wear what you want, etc. I do have to stress that even though you are allowed to eat at your desk, unlike at many jobs…you should stop taking a working lunch in your online business.

A lot of us have done it.

I have done it more times than I can count over the years, but over the past couple of years I’ve stopped that practice.

Now, I’m not talking about snacks and coffee or anything like that…

I’m talking about when you need to eat lunch.

Or in the case of working from home, you may work at night or in the morning really early…so this advise really applies to breakfast and dinner too.

Whenever it’s time for you to have a meal.

Put your online business aside and eat your meal.

Eat at a normal pace and enjoy it.

Your computer or laptop is not going anywhere.

The work that you have to do will still be there waiting for you.

So, for your health and sanity and work-life balance…for goodness sakes, take time to take care of yourself.

Depending on how busy you are and how long your task list is for your online business, there may be very few times throughout the day when you can stop and relax.

This is how it is in the offline job world, especially in hectic jobs that require a lot of work and a lot of attention.

Then other jobs, like clerical or admin type jobs actually allow you to eat at your desk.

You are usually so bogged down with work that you do end up eating lunch at your desk, while working…even while clocked out.

I was one of those people.

Overly dedicated to a thankless employer and all it did was affect my health.

If you came from the 9-5 corporate rat race though, you probably know that working lunches have become a sort of norm over time.

People are willing and almost expected to work through lunch and just nonchalantly eat while continuing to do their jobs.

That’s what I did.

I actually felt guilty if I didn’t eat while working and in the end it wasn’t even worth it.

Sure, you could take your time eating, but you were still juggling work at the same time.

Then on the flip side of the coin, some jobs like call center jobs adhere to very strict rules on when you eat and where you can eat.

They determine when you are allowed to take breaks and lunches and you’re usually limited to two 15-minute breaks and one 30-minute lunch.

You aren’t allowed any food at your desk at all, not even snacks. Drinks must be in a spillproof cup.

So, you are allowed and expected to eat while NOT working, but it doesn’t mean it’s relaxing or that you can actually take your time and digest your food.

In fact, you barely have time to make it to the authorized eating area and then you have to gobble your food down so that you get back to your desk on time.

It’s all on a computer timer too, so don’t be late!

Neither of these situations are ideal.

I’ve dealt with both scenarios and it was not pleasant.

So, keep in mind as an online entrepreneur….you call the shots and one of those things is lunch (or breakfast and dinner)…when you’re not obligated to do anything at all.

If you want to take a small step towards improving your work-life balance, this is an easy one.

Stop working through lunch and take that allotted time to relax for a little bit, in the midst of your busy day.

In fact, when you take lunch, don’t even think about work

Don’t even talk about it.

Get work off of your mind for the hour or so that you eat, and use that time in full to eat your lunch and relax a little bit.

This is really tough.

I know because it can be easy to get addicted to your online business.

A lot of us can be workaholics and work more than we did for an employer.

I have to be very careful with this because I do have severe neck issues that have to be monitored.

So, actually frequent small breaks and definitely stopping to eat are very important for my physical health.

I’m really not supposed to work for hours on end because of my issues, but sometimes I lose track of time or I get overly excited and engrossed in a project and I don’t use good judgement.

A proper work-life balance is going to look differently for everybody, depending on individual needs and commitments.

For me, I’m supposed to get up once per hour and at least stretch, walk around a bit and drink water.

I may even need to stop and lay down and use ice packs on my neck and back.

I work best in the late afternoon into the evening, but I do sometimes get started earlier in the morning.

So, no matter what hours I work, I have to take breaks and I now always stop whatever I’m doing when it’s time to eat a meal.

I close my computer down and turn the wifi off on my phone.

I turn off notifications, etc.

If you feel you must do something while you eat, do something other than work on your online business.

I watch television or a movie while I eat, but there are plenty of other things that you can do.

For example, while you eat and have the time, listen to some music or listen to an audiobook or just read a normal one.

Getting lost in a story is a great way to unwind.

If you’re feeling stressed, go eat outside if it’s a nice enough day out…not too hot or too cold…eat lunch out on the porch or by the pool, if you have one.

Go to a park and eat where you can enjoy the weather and the sights and sounds.

Whether it’s a busy city or a more rural area, spending time outside can be a nice change of pace.

Remember, you’re the boss and you don’t have to worry about needing permission to do what you want, when you want…so feel free to be creative.

This can really help recharge your batteries and so when you get back to working on your online business, you will feel more relaxed and clear-headed.

Most importantly during lunch, you should enjoy your food.

If you take a working lunch, you’ll be so focused on your business that you won’t even get the chance to enjoy your food in the first place.

Whether it’s a home cooked meal or some food you buy elsewhere each day, taking the time to enjoy the food you’re eating is important.

It might seem really insignificant, but it can make a huge difference in your mood and your digestion.

You might even end up taking more time at home to make better meals to enjoy while you’re taking full advantage of your lunch time.

Good meals aren’t as hard to make as you might think.

So, use the freedom you have as your own boss to take care of yourself.

Don’t let anyone push you off of this idea, either.

You don’t owe anybody any explanations on how you manage your life and work schedule.

You work for yourself, not anybody else and certainly nobody else is paying your bills.

So, they don’t get a say in whether you can sit, relax and enjoy your meals.

Don’t think you have to overwork yourself just because others do it to themselves.

Having an online business is a unique opportunity to do things the way you want to do them and this includes lunch!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day 🙂

To Your Success,

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