Make the most of your midday break

By Debbe Geiger

If it's lunchtime, you'll probably find Jane Buchin grabbing a quick bite at her desk while she answers the phone, talks to coworkers, or glances at the fashion trade papers. "I'm too busy to go to lunch for an hour," explains the 37-year-old production manager for a Manhattan-based apparel company. "I always have a lot of work to do. I've learned to type and eat salad at the same time."

Heavy workloads and hectic lifestyles mean that more and more people aren't realizing all the benefits of their lunch breaks. In fact, a survey by the National Restaurant Association found that 40 percent of full-time employees usually don't take a full lunch break, and 27.3 percent spend their time doing something other than eating.

Skipping the lunch break is counterproductive, says Pragito Dove, a Mill Valley, California, stress management trainer and author of Lunchtime Enlightenment: Modern Meditations to Free the Mind and Unleash the Spirit at Work, at Home, at Play. "We get so wrapped up in our work, we forget about the body," she says.

You can make your lunch break an oasis of calm simply by concentrating on only one task at a time. "If we're eating and reading or doing something with the computer at the same time, then we're divided, and that's what creates stress," Dove says. Here are a few of her suggestions for getting it together:

A great way to spend the lunch hour is eating with friends. "It's good to eat with other people and laugh and have fun because that's relaxing," she says. It will also help you get through the rest of your day.

Make your lunch break pleasurable by choosing food you truly enjoy and savoring every bite of it. "Enjoy the tastes and smells. Feel the warmth and nourishment of the food. We are recharging the body and regenerating ourselves when we eat."

Take a break from the daily routine by going for a walk, even if it's only for 5 or 10 minutes. "Breathe fresh air," Dove says. "Look at the sky. Be aware of your surroundings. Relax your shoulders." If you can't get outside, then get out of your office. If that's impossible, close your door or find a quiet spot so you can enjoy an uninterrupted break.