Reprinted
with permission by
Why eat?
They'd rather do something stimulating. It's 12:45 on a recent Wednesday afternoon -- time for what Carolyn McIntosh calls her "Superman" routine. The
attorney leaves her office at Newark's city hall, drives to Montclair 15
minutes away, and then quickly enters a building filled with wildly barking
dogs. Undaunted, she slips into the bathroom, takes off her business attire,
and like a flash changes into a tee-shirt, Capri tights, socks and sneakers.
Ready to get her "man," she finds him waiting a few steps away in a kennel. On this day he's a guy named, "Lucky" -- a tan and white pit bull who doesn't mess around. McIntosh is among a growing number of employees who are redefining the workday "lunch." Finding the moments they have to themselves more and more scarce as their office and home duties continue to multiply, these workers no longer are just grabbing a sandwich or running errands when they have a little midday free time. They're taking a break from tradition by "lunching" in unconventional ways that they say feed their minds and spirits as well as their bodies. Volunteering at the PAWS animal shelter in Montclair as a dog walker is the lunch hour of choice in which McIntosh indulges about once a month. Others who like to do more than munch, have any variety of activities on their menus. They might head to a nearby spa for a facial, go for a relaxing hot stone treatment, visit with their children at home or take ballroom dancing lessons. Some even slip away to their plastic surgeon's office. "A lot of people are working through their lunch hour today because the (business) organizational culture is saying, 'If you're truly committed to what we're doing here, you'll forget about lunch," explains Terry Wall, a Gloucester County-based corporate culture expert. "But these people (who make lunchtime a time for themselves) are seeing this as a way to recharge their batteries." Wall says that both bosses and employees who think not taking a lunch hour or working through it is okay need to wake up and smell the coffee. He adds that it helps the company and employee when a worker takes a lunch break. It allows the employee to get away from the job physically and/or mentally. "Look at why we have a lunch hour," Wall says. "The (U.S.) Department of Labor says we have to. Aside from treating people humanely, it's to sharpen your ax, to recharge your batteries. Businesses that don't realize this miss out on this opportunity to improve productivity and profitability.
"There's also a societal component to all of this," Wall adds. "There's
less time to do personal things today. People are working more and they have
more responsibilities after work than 10 years ago. Today we're expected to
be involved in a civic organization, PTA, soccer...They're good things, but
we're expected to do all of them."
McIntosh says she happily goes to the dogs when her lunchtime comes. It keeps things in perspective and gives her a chance to wind down for a while. "I get more out of it than they do," the self-described animal lover says of the dogs. She first began volunteering at the shelter while attending undergraduate school at Montclair State University. "I do my Superman in the bathroom," the 36-year-old Englewood resident chuckles as Lucky tugs eagerly at his leash for a walk. "I like coming here after court, it's a great stress reliever. It reminds me life is not just about adversaries and strict deadlines." It's also about the sticks and balls she uses to play fetch with the shelter dogs. "Maybe I'll scarf down something in the car on the way here," says McIntosh. (If you like this article, check out the other articles on the Special Edition! page.) More Articles in Special Edition! (Also, discover startling new secrets of leadership by checking out past editions of Leadership Unlimited, my monthly column on leadership.) The Leadership Unlimited Archive Visit the Special Edition! page often, so that you'll have the latest articles about leadership, communication, organizational culture, presentation skills, and other important topics. |
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