Don’t Underestimate Your Lunch Break: It Deserves More Love Than You Think

Hello everyone! Today’s lunch for me was a homemade bento from my wife—or rather, “frozen-food-based” but still delicious because it included cream croquettes. Small joys matter!

How about your lunch break? When I’m busy, the timing sometimes shifts or becomes shorter, but I always make sure I never skip my lunch entirely.

Today, I want to talk about something simple but surprisingly important: how to intentionally spend your lunch break.

How Much of Your Life Is Spent on Lunch Breaks?

Let’s say you have a one-hour lunch break every workday. With about 260 working days a year, that’s:

260 hours of lunch breaks per year.

If you work for 40 years (from around age 25 to 65), that becomes:

• 10,400 hours
• = 1,300 workdays
• ≈ about 5 years of your life

Five years! That’s long enough for a newborn baby to grow into a kindergartener.

So yes, you’re probably seeing where this is going:

Your lunch break is actually a big deal. Don’t neglect it.

Top 3 Best Ways to Spend Your Lunch Break

1. Take a Short Nap

A quick nap can reset your mind and body. Simply lying down is sometimes the best productivity booster.

2. Enjoy Something You Love

Spend a few minutes with something that makes you happy—cute animals, a small hobby, a relaxing playlist. A little joy goes a long way. (And no, lunchtime drinking doesn’t count!)

3. Eat Something Delicious

Good food makes everything better. If it’s something you love, even better—your body and mind both get recharged.

These simple habits can drastically improve your mental and physical well-being.

What You Should Avoid Doing During Your Lunch Break

Avoid Working or Studying

You might say, “But I enjoy it!” Even so, a break should be a break. Creating boundaries helps your brain properly reset, which improves productivity afterward.

Avoid Spending Time on Things You Dislike

It’s your personal time. Don’t spend it with people or tasks that drain you. Whether you want solitude or social time, choose what truly refreshes you, not what others expect.

Why a Quality Lunch Break Improves Your Afternoon

It’s easy to overlook your lunch break or let others control it. But taking a meaningful break helps you return to the afternoon energized, focused, and ready.

Let’s make our lunch breaks something to look forward to!

Final Thoughts: Let’s Enjoy Ohiru-yasumi

If this inspires you to rethink your own break time, I’m really glad. Your lunch break is a part of your life—make it a good one.

Let’s enjoy Ohiru-yasumi（Lunch-Time）! 🍱