I tried my best to fit in as many things as possible during the course of one day. I tried this for years. It didn’t work out. This thought brings me to a habit I had, eating lunch at my desk. Not only did I think it impressed others and showed dedication and leadership, I truly felt that I didn’t have enough time to eat lunch in the break room or at a restaurant. I then realized that lunch at my desk, especially as a CEO, was a bad habit that needed breaking.

Eating lunch at your desk doesn’t give your brain much of a break. Our brains need breaks, too. We can’t be running at 100% when our stomachs are only 30% filled. And, who can enjoy their lunch as emails pop up on their computer screen? Paying mediocre attention to two different things never turns out well. Lunch at your desk is a combination of doing two things in a mediocre manner.

There is almost a stigma in today’s work culture that you’re lazy if you take a proper lunch. This is far from the case. You should use lunch as a chance to refuel and develop a game plan for what to do when you return to work. As a leader, you should also pass this information on to employees. After all, you wouldn’t want an employing half working on a business report while also chowing down on a sandwich? Where is the focus? Exactly!

Show leadership and grow better prepared employees by taking a proper lunch and forcing others to do the same.

Britanie Olvera,
CEO of Building Team Solutions