Studies show that merely visiting a gallery can lower your stress levels

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Got an hour to kill? Why not soak up some beats. Research from the Royal College of Music and Imperial College London shows that watching live music events reduces the amount of cortisol – the stress hormone – in our bodies. And it doesn’t have to be classical. Many retail giants and some independent record shops host a wide variety of bands and artists, often at lunch times.

If music’s not your thing, you can always try art. Even better, take an art class; the process of producing art improves both resilience and brain function.

Love a good book? Find one that meets at lunchtimes in your area. Better yet, if your morocco phone number resource company’s big enough, set one up at work. Not only will you get to spend an hour arguing over the merits of Donna Tartt’s latest, you may make some co-worker friends too.


Chill out

You can hate on meditation all you like – it’s here to stay. Opt to chill out with a local class – many centres run them for free – or download an app like Headspace. Following a free sign-up, you can enjoy guided ten-minute meditations that promise to help you sleep better and stress less. And you’ll still have time left over for that water cooler gossip sesh.

The benefits of finding your zen are numerous. Studies show that meditation not only reduces stress but improves concentration, prevents flu and eases pain. Now that’s a productive lunch hour.



Get smart

Want to boost your employability, learn a new discipline or deepen your understanding of your industry? Get thyself to a university… or a lunchtime lecture series. Numerous teaching centres offer talks, often free, on myriad topics.

Work somewhere more isolated? No problem; get online. The net is flooded with short courses that you can take in your lunch hour. With the entirety of the world wide web at your disposal, there’s no excuse

So next time you find yourself slumped at your desk, chowing down on that supermarket sandwich, take a good look at yourself. Then get up, leave your desk and do something better with your lunch.