One thing I've struggled with in my time in the workforce of America is what to do with my lunch hour. Other than eat lunch of course...because the actual act of eating only takes me about 10 minutes or so. When I lived in Spartanburg, SC, I worked at a bank 7 minutes from my house and was able to go home at lunch. I would usually watch a little tv, eat my lunch, do a couple of chores around the house, and head back to the bank. It was a great break in the middle of the day, and truthfully it helped preserve my sanity. While a solid first job, the bank was easily my least favorite job yet.
When I moved to Annapolis, I was working on the West side of Baltimore and had a 45 minute commute. Clearly not conducive to going home for lunch! However, for the first 2 years or so, I had a "lunch group" of friends that I ate with. I was probably the most talkative in the group, so lunch was often filled with my silly chorale stories, etc. I usually brought my lunch to work...mostly because I was apartment-poor from paying rent in one of the most desirable areas and getting the salary of someone living in a not so desirable area. I switched jobs 2.5 years ago, and lunch was often varied...sometimes out with friends, sometimes brought from home, and the occasionally shopping trip to Target.
Somewhere along the line, I stopped eating lunch with people and started always eating it at my desk in front of the computer. I realized that I needed the break away from my desk, so I've gotten pretty creative with my lunch time. While I miss the camaraderie of eating lunch out with friends, my finances like that I'm not dropping $10+ on lunch every Friday. They also like the fact that I've cut back on my Target lunchtime browsing. That place is dangerous. I certainly have Chick-fil-A more often now that it is around the corner, as well.
Behind our office, there is a back parking lot with some trees, grass, etc. When I drive around back there during lunch, there is a man who opens up the back of his SUV every day, sits on the tailgate with a cigar, and reads a book. I'm kind of jealous of his lunchtime routine...it's a good break away from work!
Here are some of the ways that I've recently been spending my lunch hour:
-On the leather couch in our office reading a book. This sometimes ends up with me dozing, attempting to look as if I am not sleeping.
-In my car taking a nap. This is only on days that I am flat out exahausted.
-In my car, eating Chick-fil-A and listening to an audiobook in the Chick-fil-A/Starbucks Parking Lot.
-Reading a book at Starbucks.
-Watching LOST on my iPod.
-On pretty days, I'm outside in my car with the windows down reading a book.
-Occasionally, running on the treadmill if I won't be able to get a run in any other time.
-Running errands at Target. But this is strictly if I have multiple items I NEED...like toilet paper, contact solution, etc.
Does anyone else have interesting ways to spend a lunch hour? Sometimes I'm tempted to see if I can take 15 minutes and then leave the office at 4:45 instead of 5:30...except I often have training sessions scheduled at 4 PM.
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