BY SARAH EYKYN.
It’s pouring with rain and the dogs are at my feet. Ollie hates to get wet, while Pickle, our mad-cap Jack Russell, couldn’t care less. Ollie’s disposition gives me the perfect excuse NOT to leave my desk at lunchtime, but I know if I can just get outside, it will be worth the effort.
Did you know that the simple act of getting outside at lunchtime is scientifically proven to boost happiness? Perhaps not in the rain, but spending time in fresh air on a nice day can boost your mood significantly. According to research by the University of Sussex1., leaving the office to eat lunch outside – in a park, on a bench, at home, or even while riding public transport – can measurably increase happiness.
The study found that the reverse was true of staying put: eating at a desk, or in the office café, did not positively impact emotional wellbeing or enhance the study participants’ attitudes towards work. In fact, eating at their desks reduced participants’ scores by 1.42 on the study’s happiness scale.
So, the first way to boost happiness at lunchtime is to get outside.
As hard as it can be to justify taking a lunch break, think of it as a way to return to work feeling refocused and refreshed, then give yourself permission to go. Just 20 minutes is enough if that’s all you can squeeze in.
On the way out of your office, try to be ‘present’. Check in with yourself. If you’re feeling stressed, try to use the 4-7-8 breathing technique to reduce any stress or anxiety you may be feeling.
This is also a great time to enjoy 5-7 minutes of brisk walking and soak up a bit of mood-regulating Vitamin-D on the way to finding an inspiring spot to eat your lunch.
If you’re not close to a park, try to find a bench from which you can observe trees, birds, or simply a patch of sky. Tune in to the sights, smells and sounds around you. Explore your surroundings with a new spot each day. The study reported that the highest happiness was found for those eating lunch at the beach but hey, we have to be realistic!
Hopefully, you’ve been kind to yourself and made or bought a healthy lunch option to eat (check out Cooking Light for some great ideas), and some water to keep you hydrated.
Now, you have time for the second way to boost happiness: practicing gratitude.
If you have never seriously tried to focus on what you are grateful for, it can feel a bit strange talking to yourself in your head, but that’s all you need to do. Start with a simple list: “I am grateful for this fresh air filling my lungs, I am grateful for this healthy lunch nourishing my body, I am grateful for this sunny day warming my face…” and move on. Don’t just say the words, but really try to feel your gratitude rising.
Did you know that the word gratitude comes from the Latin word gratia, which is also the root of the word ‘grace’? For those with religious convictions, this moment of gratitude also presents an opportunity to connect with a higher power.
The subjective nature of gratitude makes it hard to study scientifically, but Harvard Medical School’s Healthbeat2 suggests that studies in this area do support, “an association between gratitude and an individual’s well-being.” For my part, I know it makes me feel happier.
When you have run through a simple list, and while you are munching on your lunch, move on to things that really matter to you. Think about your health (what works!), your family (the joy!), your job (the things your paycheck makes possible), and your relationships (try to resist the temptation to dwell on anything negative and focus on small things that you are grateful for).
Creating the habit of gratitude does require practice. If you’re a visual person, you may want to start a gratitude journal to jot things down (though juggling this with your sandwich may prove tricky). I call mine a JOY JOURNAL because when I look through the pages and see the many incredible blessings I have in my life, it brings me a deep sense of happiness. I use mine last thing at night so I go to sleep focusing on positive rather than negative things.
OK, now that you’ve enjoyed a stress-relieving walk (5 mins), a nutritious and gratitude-inducing lunch (10 mins) you’re ready for a calm and happy trip back to your desk (5 mins). Depending on where you work this timeframe may need to be adjusted, but try to squeeze gratitude in where you can.
As you return, notice how you feel. Hopefully you feel recharged and a bit happier than when you left. If nothing else, you squeezed in a healthy lunch, a bit of ‘you’ time, and a few minutes of heart-healthy exercise! Now simply repeat daily for a healthier, happier outlook.
The rain has stopped and Ollie is indicating that I have absolutely no excuse not to venture out….
Until next time,
Sarah
- “Happiness is greater in natural environments”, George MacKerrona, Susana Mouratoc, Global Environmental Change, Volume 23, Issue 5, October 2013, Pages 992–1000: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378013000575
- Harvard Health Publications, http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat