personal development
Personal Development Plan
With Carole Ann Rice. So many things to do, so little time. Make use of every hour of your day, starting with lunchtime. Read our ideas on courses and activities that will stimulate, entertain and help you develop as an individual.
We've found people who have learnt languages; yoga; knitting; and in one case, even surfing during their lunch time. You can challenge yourself to learn something which will improve your workplace skill-set, or simply take up something completely new to keep yourself fresh. Here are just some ideas to get you thinking.
You've earned it and you deserve it: the very antithesis of the 'chained to my desk' syndrome. Treat yourself to a lunch hour facial, have your nails spruced up, or simply try some of the new arrivals at your favourite beauty counter.
Recruit your friends to share their lunch with you; catch up with all the news, gossip and chat without a mobile or Facebook in sight... the old ways are the best. If you're an adventurous singleton, you could take it that one step further and use lunch to shortlist potential suitors(!)
Ok, so you're no 'culture vulture', but there are very few places in the UK where you won't find something interesting going on locally which you can see, read, experience or simply appreciate. Museums, exhibitions, local or regional historical buildings - it's all out there and lots of it is free too!
Ever get that feeling each Christmas that you'd like to give something back but never quite seem to find the time? Well, lunch time could be your opportunity to give something back to the community - and you don't even need to leave your desk.
Reading can help improve linguistic and writing skills, so it's a great way to keep yourself sharp whilst also being a great reflective activity for your brain. Immersing yourself in a good book relaxes you, so we'd advocate any form of reading during your lunch break.
Everyone is doing it - are you? Take time out to flex those brain muscles during your lunch hour. Don't worry if you don't have a handheld games console, there are plenty of other ways to get those little grey cells working.
Carole Ann Rice explains how to use your lunch hour to evaluate your life, set goals and constructively use your break for a little bit of 'me time'.
