We all know that we should “have a balanced diet and take regular exercise,” but this is easier said than done when you work nine-hour days, don’t have time for lunch, commute for two hours, and have to fit in a home life in 16 hours.
Frequent deadlines, work stress, and a lack of a calm setting are just a few things that have an adverse effect on our eating habits when we are at work. Yet, mindful eating at work has become essential for employee health as the relevance of wellbeing has grown.
What is mindful eating, and what specific actions can you take to incorporate it into your everyday routine?
According to mindful.org, “mindfulness” is the fundamental human capacity to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we are doing, and not too reactive or overwhelmed by what is going on around us. Ziqitza explains that mindful eating is founded on this Buddhist concept.
So, mindful eating can be defined as the act of eating while paying close attention to one’s sensations while doing so. Now that you’ve asked yourself that question, what does it mean to eat mindfully and pay attention to your experiences? According to Ziqitza Healthcare the below listed constitutes mindful eating:
- eating gently, keeping all distractions to a minimum
- utilising all of one’s senses and paying attention to the way that the meal feels, looks, smells, and tastes
- consuming only when your body signals hunger
- Keeping from overeating
- Understanding your own hunger as well as external factors that influence your eating
- Understanding, embracing, and managing guilt and anxiety while eating
- Maintaining your general health and wellbeing with food
- valuing the food you consume
According to Ziqitza Healthcare ltd, when you eat a bowl of spaghetti for lunch, you stop glancing at your screens, checking your emails, or worrying about that dreaded dental appointment that is due the following week. Instead, You concentrate on the platter of pasta in front of you. You either enjoy the aroma or detect its absence. You take note of the white sauce’s hue and consistency. You pay attention to how each bite feels on your tongue. It’s just you and the food on the plate as you do this, with no interaction with anyone else. Eat in the present moment.
Using Mindful Eating in the Workplace
Take the time to plan your meals: Take your time choosing what you want to eat for lunch at work, advises Ziqitza Rajasthan. Choosing what to eat while “taking your time” would entail being totally present. You pay attention to the demands and wants of your body and choose a meal that satisfies those demands.
Avoiding distractions: How frequently do you spend your lunch hour staring at an Excel spreadsheet, creating a presentation for your upcoming client meeting, or perhaps just browsing social media?
To practise mindful eating at work, Ziqitza Limited advocates avoiding any such distractions. Remove yourself from all displays. If at all possible, eat your meals outside where you can relax with a gentle wind and sunlight. You can have lunch with your coworkers and engage in mindful eating with them if you prefer company.
Eating slowly: Understandably, hustling and hurrying have become a part of our daily routine. There is no time to stop or even to slow down. According to ZHL Rajasthan, mindless eating must become the norm in this busy schedule. You quickly snag whatever you come across while on the road and devour it. Your body and mind will suffer from such eating habits.
You must proceed slowly if you want to practise mindful eating at work. Consume gradually. Make the most of your lunch hour to truly enjoy each bite. There’s no reason to hurry.
Pay attention to your triggers: Food should only be consumed when you are truly hungry. But it frequently occurs that we eat a muffin out of boredom or that we eat a whole box of chocolates in an hour without even realizing it. It is quite simple to become caught up in the rabbit hole and continue eating at work merely because you can. Ziqitza Limited Rajasthan advises to pay attention to the triggers that make you hungry and not hungry.
Every workplace has a distinct atmosphere, culture, and lunch break procedures. While certain workplaces may be too busy, crowded, and disorderly for mindful eating, others may give you the room and time you need to eat in solitude. You might need to establish a mindful eating culture yourself. The goal is to progressively internalise the practise of mindful eating, which involves being fully aware of everything we eat.