A REAL relaxing one…
The standard response to a ‘How are you doing?’ question to one of my mates these days, is often replied to with a ‘Sooooooo busy‘ comeback, and to be fair I always answer the same. We’re all busy bees and it’s now a frequent occurrence for my mates to bring work home to do at the weekend, for me to be up and answering emails on a Sunday morning and for us all to skip a decent break midday to hurriedly chow down on our lunch, whilst furiously typing with the other hand. What happened to a good ol’ lunch break, eh? Now I know sometimes working hours and deadlines don’t allow for us to down tools for a significant amount of time, but seeing as it’s Friday and it’s been a long week, I thought I’d drop some chill-inducing ideas of what to do when the clock chimes 12pm today…
LISTEN TO A PODCAST. Ha! You knew this one would be in here. I mean, I couldn’t resist a little ‘At Home With…‘ self-promo now, could I? The reason why I fell in love with podcasts in the first place is that they’re so easy to listen to whilst you’re doing other things. I listen to them whilst I clean, but you could throw one on as you sort out your lunch in the staff kitchen or go for a wander to get your morning coffee. They’re great for commutes too because once they’re downloaded you don’t need an internet connection to listen to them. My favourites include the podcasts from Emma Gannon, Emma Gunns, Jess Lively and the classic, My Dad Wrote a Porno (just be prepared to laugh out loud on the train).
GRAB A BOOK. I go in fits and starts when it comes to reading. Sometimes Mark and I are both on the book bandwagon and both have a read before we go to sleep, but often we are stuck in one long endless scrolling session on our phones. The same goes for lunch breaks. I frequently take a book up to London with me to read in-between meetings, but often end up replying to emails and tapping through Instagram Stories instead. When you really think about a dreamy lunch break, surely a tech-free one, preferably outside, switching off and getting lost in a good book is the ultimate? I’m a fan of non-fiction, so I’m currently working my way through ‘Option B’ by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant. I’m only a couple of pages in, so I’ll try and have a read on my break today and fill you in later.
GO FOR A WANDER. When I worked in an office, I could count the occasions I spent taking a nice stroll outside to nowhere in particular on no fingers because it never happened. I was either stomping to the local Pret for my daily chocolate mousse or I was running to the station to get my train home that would get me back on the right side of 8pm. How nice is it though to head out, without your phone being stuck to your palm and get a bit of fresh air sometimes? This is something that even now I rarely do, so this one is a bit of a reminder to myself to get off my arse and get some air in my lungs today (even if watching First Dates on your lunch break is tempting).
JOIN A CLUB. Who remembers ‘The Finer Things Club‘ from The Office? Or ‘The Whine and Cheese Club‘ on Parks & Rec? The former was a lunchtime club for Pam, Oscar and Toby where they discussed books, art and culture. The latter, a weekly meet where they chewed the fat and ate cheese. Both sound awesome and I feel like if I worked in an office I would try to instate both in my quest to be the biggest Office and Parks & Rec nerd out there. If a club with your colleagues isn’t quite your style, then have a look to see what’s on in the local area. Or pop down the gym and join a quick HIIT class to get the blood pumping (although I could never do that because I’m ravenous for food by about 11am and would probably pass out – good luck!).
Now I wouldn’t recommend an online shop as the best way to switch off because you know, screen time and all that, but the chances are that you’ve already found yourself here – hello! – so if you fancy a browse, here’s what I’d suggest. My & Other Stories love-in continues with these crazy orange-red mules that are both the ugliest shoe and the most beautiful shoe I’ve seen. I was looking for a mid-heel sandal that I’d be able to crack out in the summer that aren’t particularly toe exposing and these fit that bill perfectly. They’re pretty comfortable (once you’ve broken in the toe holes at the front a little) and actually very easy to walk in. Another new purchase is this & Other Stories Cotton White Tee, which is my favourite cut of t-shirt, with its darted wide sleeves and round neckline. In the warmer months I revert to my FRAME Skinny Jeans because the denim is lighter than my others and here I’ve paired everything with the Chloé Faye Bag to jazz it all up a bit with the gold ring detail. I like this outfit, the base of the jeans and t-shirt is completely in my comfort zone, but the red shoes make it feel summery and I have a severe case of ‘NEW SHOOOOES!‘ whenever I wear them. Go for a lunch break wander in these and you won’t be able to stop looking at ’em…
Photos by Lauren Shipley
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