The one thing this therapist prioritises on every lunch break: ‘Even if it’s just for 2 minutes’

For many, lunch hour is the only time during the day that they have to themselves. How you spend that time can impact the way the rest of your day goes, which is why therapist Sadie Salazar uses the period to boost her wellness.

“I think there’s sometimes this pressure to work through lunch, or if you have a really demanding job, you have a lunch break that becomes your admin hour, where you’re doing things for yourself, like calling your dentist and returning a library book,” says Salazar, who is the COO of Sage Therapy. “And it’s still work.”

While Salazar doesn’t ignore the responsibilities that require her attention, she doesn’t devote her entire lunch hour to them. There are other things that she prioritizes.

″[I] make sure I get outside no matter what the weather is. I’m fortunate in that I have a dog, so it sort of demands that I get outside with him,” Salazar says.

“For folks that don’t have pets, pretend that you do. Get out there, even if it’s just for two minutes. It’s a way of breaking up your day.”

Salazar primarily works from home, so she looks out for moments where she can be more present and separate her personal time from work mode during her lunch hour.

“I try to tune into doing things that don’t require a ton of time, but are done with intention,” Salazar says.

“I’m making sure I’m actually eating, like intentionally, and sitting down and not scrolling while I do it. Really giving myself time to have the sensory experience of enjoying my meal.”

Even when Salazar does routine things like washing her hands, she uses it as a moment for mindfulness.

“Feeling the temperature of the water, feeling the sensations on my skin. That’s just a small, brief moment of mindfulness that allows you to take that pause,” she says.

“I find [it] to be really helpful in terms of slowing down, because we’re just so prone to rush through the moments.”