Career success tips

"Most People Do Lunch Incorrectly." Here's How to Do It Right.

Leadership guru and LinkedIn Learning Instructor Todd Dewett believes people are screwing up a key part of their workday – lunch.

“Most people do lunch incorrectly,” Dewett said. “They eat too fast and they don't take a real break from work. That's not good.”

And he’s not talking about diet – although that’s important. Instead, he’s focused on how you spend that time.

“Lunch is a very strategically important part of your day,” Dewett said in his course, Lead Like a Boss. “Used correctly, you get a mental boost, you get focus. That's the power of good food and a well-timed break.”

Specifically, Dewett recommended having five types of lunches. They are:

    1. The networking lunch.

Lunch is a great way to build relationships within your company. Don’t eat lunch with the same people every day – invite others, even if you don't work with them closely. Getting to know them on a bit of a personal level over lunch will help you collaborate in the future.

Plus, these lunches can provide you further insight into what these people do, which almost always leads to synergies with your own work.

    2. The creative lunch.

If you need to do creative work in the afternoon, try the creative lunch. Here’s where you read a chapter of a book. Or play a game on your phone. Or just fun have some fun with some colleagues.

These will relax your mind, which will help you be more creative.

    3. The exercising lunch.

Is the day dragging? Is your energy zapped?

This is the right choice for you. Use your lunch break to take a walk, work out or do some form of exercise. This will reinvigorate and empower you to take on those big hurdles in the afternoon.

    4. The relaxing lunch.

Admittedly, this isn’t possible at all companies. But, if you are truly burnt out, a 20-minute power nap can make all the difference.

You don’t necessarily have to sleep, either. Even 20 minutes of silence or meditation and re-energize you if you are absolutely zapped of energy (although, again, often the exercise lunch can fix this too).

    5. The learning lunch.

Our favorite!

Why not spend 20 minutes of your lunch break watching a LinkedIn Learning course and learning a new skill? Or, even just eating with someone who you can learn from, and picking their brain. Most of the world’s most successful people do this each week – perhaps you should try as well.

The takeaway

Here’s the real point: don’t just eat at your desk every day at lunch. That’s a waste. Be strategic with that time.

Take a real break to reenergize yourself. Or, better yet, get the most out of that time: use it to network or to learn a new skill.

Looking for more quick, actionable tips for becoming a better leader? Watch Dewett’s full course, Lead Like a Boss, today.

Other courses you might be interested in are:

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