Whether you’re blessed with a full hour to enjoy lunch on your working days, or a measly 20 minutes, we could all do something to squeeze a little more enjoyment from our mid-shift break. Whether you want to slot in some gaming time, work on a personal goal, or get ahead for the afternoon to follow, we’ve got some tips for all different kinds of lunch-breakers.

For The Get-Aheaders

Although we’re all about taking your time off and relaxing, sometimes there’s a little something to be done that will speed the second half of your shift along. One of the biggest things you can do to make sure your workday goes smoothly every day is to take some time to organize your desk. Folders, stationery holders and drawer organizers are all really useful things to purchase that will help make keeping your desk tidy second nature. Once you’ve banished the paperwork chaos you might consider sprucing up your office space with a desk plant, or a pretty calendar. Having beloved items on your desk can help work feel a bit more personal. Not only that, but an office with lots of plants will have better air quality and happier employees. All humans feel more peaceful when they are surrounded by greenness, so bringing in a desk plant might start a trend that could leave your whole office feeling more cheerful.

For The Gamers

The gamers amongst us might already be familiar with the frustration of wanting to play video games but not having them downloaded on an office computer. Instead of downloading games onto a work computer, it’s a better idea to look into how to play free online games from your browser. That way you can entertain yourself on the internet, without having to download anything at all. Casino games are a popular choice as they’re readily available, but traditional games like chess and chequers work too. Think about the sorts of games that you enjoy playing on your gaming computer and adapt it into a Google search. Some browser games that take a more long-form approach will even allow you to save your progress and come back another day.

For the Meditators

The working day can be hectic for some of us and breaking yours up with a mindfulness session can be the perfect antidote. If you work in a quiet office then it’s absolutely possible to spend ten minutes of your lunch break performing a meditation practice, but not all of us feel able to in a shared space. Mindfulness walks enable you to get out of the office, stretch your legs and feel all of the benefits of meditation. As you enjoy your walk, take time to notice each of your senses in turn. You might be able to hear the sound of birds, see busy people going about their day, smell a sizzling hot dog stand, or feel a cool breeze against your skin. Checking into each of our senses like this is really grounding and can help us cope with the afternoon ahead.