How do you spend your lunch break? Catching up on celebrity gossip? Joining the Greggs queue for a steak bake and a yum yum?

Well, according to new research by people analytics specialists Humanyze, regardless of how you spend your time, doing it solo could be the key to maximising productivity in the workplace.

And that’s something everybody will welcome in their busy work day.

Here are some of the best ways to get the most from your daily golden hour.

 

Check off your life admin

Sometimes you can get so caught up in professional affairs, that you don’t have time to manage your personal ones.

And yet completing ‘life admin’ tasks is incredibly satisfying. Just think of the feeling you’ll get as another item is ticked off that to-do list!

So make a plan to tackle things, such as paying bills, booking appointments, refreshing your CV or replying to emails during your lunch break.

This will leave your mind clearer and more focussed…and save precious time at the weekend.

Get away from it all

Even if you’ve an Everest-sized workload, escaping the office and getting fresh air is beneficial.

Take a short stroll or find a park to decompress in but leave behind all thoughts of your work duties.

Exercise such as yoga, running, rollerblading or a few lengths of the pool are all feasible.

But don’t forget to leave ample time to eat a nutritious lunch to set you up for the rest of the day.

 

Go shopping

Fighting your way around the supermarket during the post-work rush hour is about as much fun as sitting in a traffic jam on the way home.

So why not beat the crowds and buy smaller batches of groceries during a couple of lunch breaks each week?

It’s less hassle and the food you buy will be fresher.

Probably best to eat lunch first – shopping while hungry can lead to questionable choices. Put down that family-sized bag of Quavers!

 

Master an art

Creative and innovative thinking is an integral part of many jobs, but don’t forget to indulge your own passion, whether that’s sketching, writing, reading, music or photography.

Whatever your creative outlet is, making time to enjoy it during your lunch break is a great way to de-stress and relax.

Engaging your ‘right brain’ also helps inspire problem solving.

 

Finally, there’s always time during your lunch break to discover new opportunities with the latest vacancies on [site_name].