Have you ever heard of glassophobia? It’s the fear of public speaking, the most common fear (even more so than death), and 75% of Americans suffer from it. [1] However, likelihood is that public speaking is something all successful entrepreneurs will have to face at some point in their career. In order to help you feel more prepared and give you the confidence you need for future pitches, we’ve put together a list of 15 tips that will have you pitching like a pro in no time.
The age old saying, ‘practise makes perfect’ is still around for a reason! Not only does practising help you to perfect your pitch, it will help you feel more in control of what’s going to happen, which in turn, makes you more relaxed.
Imagine, in your mind, your pitch going perfectly. Imagine the look on your audience’s faces; think about how your voice sounds, how your body is moving and the way the words are flowing. Picture your face, consider your outfit and think about the environment around you.
Continue to do this until it feels like second nature. Then, as and when you’re ready for your pitch you will have the confidence of knowing that it can go well.
When we’re nervous or anxious we can often find it hard to focus on a regular breathing pattern. Before you pitch take some time to focus on your breathing, find your regular pattern and focus on it. If you find yourself losing breath during the pitch just take a moment to return to that pattern. If you know this can be an issue for you, work in breaks into your pitch to allow you to catch your breath.
Likelihood is that the people you’re presenting to won’t notice these strategically placed pauses and it gives them a chance to absorb what it is you’re saying.
Your audience may seem uninterested when really that is just their natural facial expression. Don’t feel put off by the look you see on their faces or try to second guess what they’re thinking. Instead, keep eye contact and tell yourself that they’re intensely interested in what it is you’re pitching.
The way you stand and the posture you hold can say a lot about you. Maintaining a good posture can work wonders on making you appear confident when in reality you may not be feeling it. Try standing in the ‘Wonder Woman’ pose, feet hip width apart, chin up, chest out and hands on hips, for a few minutes. This can raise your testosterone and increase confidence whilst decreasing your cortisol levels and improving your ability to deal with stress. [2]
When you’re nervous you may want your pitch to be over as quickly as possible, but speaking in a fast paced speed will not help. Instead, take a moment and imagine your usual speaking pace, then slow it down a little. Whilst this may seem like you’re speaking far too slow and may bore your audience, you will actually be speaking at a pace that will allow them to fully understand what it is you’re saying.
This may seem daunting, but asking for feedback from your audience can help you improve for the future. If you don’t feel that you can ask the people you have pitched to for their feedback, bring a friend or colleague with you who will be able to give you detailed and honest feedback once the pitch is over. You could also record the meeting and play it back to yourself, this allows you to see areas in which you are able to build upon in future.
When you’re already ill at ease with the thought of pitching, wearing something you’re uncomfortable in can make you feel even more uncomfortable. If you know you’re not good at wearing heals, wear flats. If you know a certain shirt is too tight around your neck, wear a looser one. Wearing clothes you feel comfortable in will be one less thing for you to worry about on the day. Looking good whilst feeling comfortable will help you find the confidence that you need.
Give yourself time before the pitch to prepare yourself mentally and check things over one more time. Where possible get to the venue in plenty of time to ensure all technology is working and to see the place you’re pitching from. In the moments before your pitch switch off from everything and focus on creating a positive and calm mind-set.
We don’t mean spend the whole time talking about yourself, adding in personal highlights to your pitch (that make sense) show the audience that you’re human and helps create a closer connection. This closer connection, in turn, will help you feel more at ease with the people you’re pitching to.
Having notes in your hand can often make people feel more relaxed and comfortable; however they can also be a distraction that increases tension. By following precise notes you limit yourself to what you’re able to talk about and can often cause stress when tangents are created.
You should ideally have practised enough that you know what you’re talking about (see our first point) without having notes, but if you need something in hand, try using small cue cards instead.
Whether you do pitches daily or just every once in a while; having a routine can help you feel calmer and more comfortable when they do come around. What this routine consist of is entirely up to you, but having something in place that feels natural can help you feel more comfortable. The more comfortable you feel the more confident your pitch (you’re getting the gist of things now).
Nobody is going to buy into your pitch if they can tell your nervous, or don’t feel you sold yourself well enough. Channel your nerves into energy and get the audience excited. Having energy can help build upon the points you’re making along with getting your audience excited about the idea you’re pitching.
Knowing everything is working before you begin your pitch will make you feel more at ease. Check the technology you’re using as many times as you can to ensure any hiccups are smoothed out before your pitch. However, bear in mind that things can go wrong due to the unreliable nature of some technology, so always have a backup plan, just in case.
This Ted Talks playlist is full of videos that can help you prepare for a pitch and qualm any nerves you may have.
http://www.meridianks.com/life-hacks-5-public-speaking-tips-2/
http://jamesclear.com/body-language-how-to-be-confident
Inspiration can be found in all different places, including film. Whilst many films are based on fiction within their morals and messages there are often grains of truth. Here we suggest films that will inspire you to be a great leader.
Follow Denzel Washington is this US military film surrounding the concepts of truth and courage. It will leave you questioning that when things go awry, how does a leader pull their team through? Something every new leader needs to be able to do in order to achieve success.
Collin Firth stars in the 2010 biographical drama film about King George Vi who is learning to cope with his stammer. Highlighting the importance of a good support network, and the need to pursue activities in the face of challenges, there are some clear takeaways from this film for what it means to be a leader.
Here is a film about the first formal unit of the Union Army during the American Civil War to be made up entirely of African-American men, told from the perspective of their white commanding officer. After being told that they could be executed if they do not take honourable discharge, this film shows the courage that is needed of a leader.
Based on the book ‘The Freedom Writers Diary’, ‘Freedom Writers’ follows the journey of an American High School teacher who is dealing with a new racial integration plan. Watch as this leader works to gain her pupils trust and works with them to help them succeed. Something that all leaders need to learn how to ensure they do well.
Based on a true story, this film centres on the efforts of a debate coach who wants to place his historically black team on equal footing with the white Americans in the south. Explore how leaders can defy obstacles presented to them, such as social constructs. This will leave you feeling empowered and ready to tear down any obstacles in your way.
Sit back and watch as Meryl Streep portrays the longest-serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of the 20th Century. With a main theme focusing on the personal price an individual pays for power, it’s an intriguing must see for all leaders.
An epic historical medieval war drama, based on Blind Harry’s epic poem ‘The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir Will Wallace’, focused on a 13th century Scottish warrior who led the Scots in the First War of Scottish Independence.
Set at the conservative and aristocratic Welton Academy in the Northeastern United States, this film tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry. A leader who encourages his students to “make your lives extraordinary”, which is what all great leaders should encourage.
Based on a best-selling novel, ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ focuses on a recent graduate beginning her journey into a career in journalism. Not only does this film highlight what is needed to become a leader, but crucially what some leaders are often lacking. This film will leave you contemplating how your actions as a leader will affect those you are leading.
Do everything faster: the ultimate productivity hackIf the 80/20 split had applied only to Italian landowners in the early 20th century, we wouldn’t be talking about it today. But it turns out that the rule (the 80/20 rule, or Pareto Principle), is relevant to much more than olive groves in Umbria. It’s a basic expression of what happens in the daily life of a small business.
How many hours do you work in a typical day? 10, 12, 15? The Pareto Principle states that 80% of your best work will be done in the most effective 20% of those hours. In other words, if you’re a morning person, you’ll have the most effect on your start-up’s success in the first few hours of your working day. If nighttime gets your creative juices flowing, you’d be wise to leave that important presentation until after dinner.
And it isn’t just time to which the Pareto Principle applies. Pluck business-related examples of the 80/20 rule at random from the internet, and you get:
You need to start by identifying when you’re most productive during a working day. As noted above, some people are morning people. Some are night people. And while an entrepreneur’s working days are often defined by circumstance – when can you get uninterrupted hours to sit at the laptop? When are your investors likely to be available? – everyone has a most-productive period. Screenwriter Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, From Dusk til Dawn) does most of his work in the first 1.5 hours of his day, sitting up in bed and bashing out scripts on a laptop. Hey, if that’s what works for you, become a pyjama entrepreneur. As long as you can figure out when your working brain is at its most effective, you can leverage your best smarts to streamline real tasks in the life of your small business.
Take the to-do list. Every small business owner has a list of jobs that goes on for miles. The Pareto Principle teaches a nice trick for cutting that list down to just a few feet. Look at the tasks most likely to generate highly positive business outcomes – like sales, or networking opportunities, or high-visibility advertising – and focus on them. In other words, allot the magic 20% of high-productivity time to the relatively small amount of work that’s guaranteed to produce high outcome. There’s no point in preparing that presentation when your work brain is just about done for the day. And if you’ve got a deadline looming, the way to beat it is to smash the bulk of the grunt-work while your mental and physical energies are at their highest.
The Pareto Principle applies to any distribution of time/income/productivity figures. And that makes for a very interesting effect. Within your top 20%, there’s a top 20%. In other words: if 20% of your customers account for 80% of your sales, then 20% of the 20% account for 80% of the 80%. In real terms, this means your top 4% of customers generates 64% of your income.
There’s a good and a bad side to this. On the good side, you can use the Pareto Principle to pare down your to-do lists and target your most effective working hours to your most important jobs. You can also segment your existing consumer base into its most profitable percentages, which – with the right application of social channels and analytics – may let you target more customers just like them. And you can reliably assign the highest priority business tasks in your day, week, or month to the ultra-high 4% of your time, when your brain is able to bring in 64% of your total results.
On the other side of the Pareto Principle, though, there’s a warning. It’s tempting to focus solely on the big 20% (or 4%, if you’re going to keep reducing the rule to find the highest possible return on your effort), at the expense of the remaining 80%. But here’s the thing. That 80% still generates some work, and some revenue. Reducing the principle down to distil your most effective and profitable time can generate great results. But ignoring the less-productive times in your working day, or cutting out the customers who only bring in 20% of your revenue, is a bad idea.
Focus on the good stuff, but don’t leave any profit behind. And do the most crucial tasks first, but don’t neglect to catch up on invoices or clean out your email.
The Pareto Principle is a big productivity hack for the entrepreneur who needs to parcel out her time in meaningful ways. If you’re daunted by the multitude of tasks required to set up a small business, it’s also a great way to break down your journey into achievable chunks. Sit down (during your most productive time of day, of course), write a list of everything you need to do, and assess which elements are the most critical to your start-up’s success. With a little preparation, a big dream, and a list created using the Pareto Principle, you can go a long way.
How your working environment affects your productivityWhere you work can affect how you work, which means finding the right work space is essential to your businesses. In this post we look at the different ways your work space could be affecting your productivity.
Working in an environment with bad air quality can affect your concentration and reduce your energy levels[1]. This is because the more oxygen the brain receives the more effectively it will work.
A good way to create oxygen is to include plants in your workspace. This is because plants are great at creating good oxygen. It has also been found that working near green environments can help with productivity and mental health.
Low levels of vitamin D can make us depressed and weaken our immune systems making us less productive. Find work spaces with as much lighting as possible or invest in SAD lamps. Poor lighting can cause fatigue, eyestrain and headaches. Windowed offices have been found to be 15% more productive than windowless ones. [2]
Research by MusicWorks found that 65% of owners of small and medium sized businesses say music in their workplace makes employees more productive and 40% believe that it can increase sales or results for the business.[3] Whilst it may be hard to find music to everyone’s taste, having music playing in the background can help make your business more productive.
When office temperatures are low workers are likely to make 44% more mistakes than people working at optimal room temperature. [4] The appropriate office temperature should be set between 16 – 24 degrees, who knew?!
Multiple screens can increase productivity by up to 50%, a VIBE study has found. [5] Make sure your desk is wide enough to consider extra monitors that may be needed. Having access to multiple screen will help you ease from application to application with ease.
[1]http://www.areasq.co.uk/news/impact-working-environment-productivity/
[2]http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/resources/newsroom/pdf/2003/Daylighting&productivity.pdf
[3]http://www.areasq.co.uk/news/impact-working-environment-productivity/
[4]http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/Conferences/EECE_IEQ%20and%20Productivity_ABBR.pdf
[5]http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/news/features/vibe.aspx
Proven effective ways to better manage stressIf you’re reading this, the likelihood is that you will experience some form of stress on a regular basis, however how you chose to let it affect you is in your control. Read below to find out some proven effective ways to better manage the stresses in your life.
You don’t need to run marathons or climb mountains, but a little bit of exercise a day can help you clear your head and de-stress. Any form of physical exertion will release endorphins which can help relieve stress and tension. Getting some fresh air by going for a walk in the morning, on your lunch break or in the evening will help you to clear your head space and add some clarity by giving you something else to focus on. You may not fancy it at the time but trust us; it will do you the world of good. Scientists believe that regular exercise can reduce overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep and improve self-esteem. [1]
Whilst busy schedules can make catching up with friends and family difficult, make sure you’re finding the time to socialise outside of working hours. By meeting up with friends and family you can offload the troubles to those closest to you; or you could even ban the mention of work and focus on something else for a while.
In a world full of smartphones and tablets hooked up to Wi-Fi, it can often be hard to leave work in the office (or physically leave the office yourself). It’s tempting to make sure you’re keeping on top of things by checking emails whilst at home, but by never switching off you’re bound to be making your stress levels worse. Give yourself a cut-off point, for example make the decision that you won’t be turning your laptop on once you’re home, or no checking emails past 8pm. Setting yourself a limit and giving yourself space to switch off and focus on something other than work will help you feel calmer and more relaxed.
When you’re stressed your judgement can often be clouded by negative thoughts. Instead of feeling like there is no way out, channelling your negative thoughts into more positive/manageable ones could make a big difference. Try thinking around the problem that’s causing you stress; could you ask someone for help or is there an option you haven’t explored? If you can’t think of a solution straight away, try doing something to take your mind off it and go back to it later. It’s believed that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful effects that stress can have on your body. [2]
Good time management can often make you feel more in control of the things that are causing you stress. Begin your day by writing yourself a list, and then prioritise that list beginning with the most urgent and ending with the least. If you feel you have too much to do, see what items you can delegate to your colleagues. Don’t forget that if you can’t physically take on any more work, it’s ok to say no!
Tiredness can make you feel agitated and can increase stress levels. 21% of adults have reported increased stress levels when they don’t get enough sleep. [3] Getting a good night’s sleep can help you wake up feeling fresh and often gives you a new perspective on the problems that are causing your stress levels to rise. Getting enough sleep leads to improved mood and well–being. [4]
[3] http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/sleep.aspx
[4] http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/need-sleep/whats-in-it-for-you/mood
5 tips to building effective lasting relationshipsIn an increasingly digital world, it’s fair to say that it can be a challenge to build lasting business relationships. So we’ve put together a list of important considerations to help you sort the wheat from the chaff and build, what we hope will be, long lasting effective business relationships.
How can you expect to meet likeminded people if you yourself aren’t presenting an authentic version of yourself to the people you meet? People want to connect with genuine, likeminded people in business. People who share the same visions and values but not necessarily always the same views are more likely to build lasting relationships than people who only present a staged version of themselves.
You don’t need to build a relationship with everyone you meet. It doesn’t matter how ‘influential’ or ‘well connected’ people are, if they aren’t relevant to your business or goals you don’t need to try and force a relationship with them. A small group of worthwhile connections will prove to be far more significant than a bunch of people on an entirely different wavelength.
We deal with difficulty, challenge and change on a daily basis. Showing that we can be vulnerable in these situations only makes us more human and adds to our authenticity. Vulnerability should never be seen as a weakness to those who really ‘get’ us. Cautionary point however, this is usually best saved for a select few rather than in full blown public view. The world and his dog do not need to witness every bump in the road.
If you want to really get to know someone, take them out of the working environment and spend time getting to know one another over a coffee or lunch. This allows you both to drop your guard and should also encourage the conversation to take a more relaxed turn. Nothing too personal mind, no need to air your dirty laundry at this point, but you never know you might start talking about what you get up to at the weekend and find you have a mutual hobby. Chances are you would have never had these conversations in the formal setting of a work space.
By this we mean, don’t fixate your preconceived expectations of people onto them. If you project your expectations of people onto them, chances are they fulfil them. Instead understand that people are rarely exactly as we want them to be, that way you are not setting yourself up for disappointment.
It’s fair to say co-working gives you a chance to work in close proximity to a whole multitude of people who you may just find turn out to be the business connection you never knew you needed.
7 reasons to start coworkingThe co-working movement is changing the way we work, with professionals shunning the daily routine of the office and embracing the flexibility and collaborative potential of a co-working space. Each year, freelancers, entrepreneurs and even corporations turn to co-working spaces to get more fulfilment out of their working lives and reach their true potential. Here’s why…
You’ll be inspired everyday – A co-working space is not just an alternative to the coffee shop.
A co-working space is where you sit elbow to elbow with like-minded thinkers, makers and do-ers. If you’re finding it hard to get motivated, having a co-working community around you will energise your work flow and catapult you to greater productivity.
Your network will grow exponentially – We don’t hire space, we build communities.
Literally anyone can co-work. Developers, designers, even deejays are co-workers. Imagine what you can learn from working alongside like-minded professionals across disciplines. Deskmag reports 90% of people feel more confident when co-working and that’s because you’re not network in a co-working space, you’re working amongst people like you in a mutually supportive environment.
This isn’t the water-cooler effect, it’s the co-working movement…
… and you’ll be more productive than ever – There’s a reason 64% of co-workers are better able to complete tasks on time.
Creativity is contagious. Being surrounded by a hardworking community of professionals makes you more focused and more productive. Not only is it easier to solve problems in a skill-sharing environment, it’s also easier to get to the bottom of that list of tasks before lunch.
And no surprise here, when you’re more productive, you earn more. Deskmag reported three fourths of co-workers reported a significant bonus at year’s end in 2014. As if a bigger paycheque wasn’t enough, 70% of co-workers also reported that they felt healthier than in a traditional work setting. Win, win!
You’ll meet friendly people (that might change your life) – Business used to be about competition, now it’s all about collaboration.
When like-minded people get together, problems get solved. We might live in an age of wireless communication, but more than ever people are realising that geographic proximity is an irrevocable factor of creativity.
Ever heard the saying you’re the sum of the people you surround yourself with? Well in a survey by Deskmag 71% of people reported feeling more creative when co-working. That’s because they’re surrounded by creative, motivated and like-minded people working towards the next big success. We said it earlier, but we can’t emphasise it enough- productivity is contagious, you just need to be in the right place to catch it!
You’ll work in more beautiful spaces than ever before – And your creative output will benefit from it. Us&Co (Street name) has been designed with you in mind. We want each and every person to work in an inspiring location which never fails to feed their motivation day by day, hour by hour.
The 9-5 is dead, long live the flexible worker- Space and place are irrelevant- the future of work is flexibility.
Digital disruption is reshaping the work environment, giving power to the individual and allowing them to choose their working hours and environment. 40% of the workforce will be freelancers, independent contractors and solopreneurs by 2020 and these entrepreneurs are choosing co-working spaces as the place they reach their potential. With beautiful settings, greater freedom and a greater chance of higher future earnings who can blame them?
Want to find out more about why thousands of people worldwide are choosing to co-work? Get in touch on Facebook or Twitter and talk to one of the team!
References:
http://www.fastcompany.com/3004788/future-coworking-and-why-it-will-give-your-business-huge-edge
http://time.com/money/3586004/coworking-why-it-works/
10 inspirational videos to get you out of bed and into the boardroomWe’ve scoured the web for the 10 most motivational videos you could imagine. So whether you’re finding it hard to wake up in the morning or you need a dose of inspiration for that next big meeting, sit back and prepare for a big hit of inspiration.
You can’t help but go away from this heart-felt talk from Hollywood funny-man Jim Carrey feeling like the world is yours for the taking. The standout moment comes when Jim talks about his Dad (at about the 10:00 min mark)
“My father could have been a great comedian but he didn’t believe that was possible for him. So he made conservative choice. Instead he got a safe job as an accountant. When I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job and our family had to do whatever we could to survive.
I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you could fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance at doing what you love.”
The eighth wonder of the world, David Blaine, talks about how he confounded medical science and held his breath for 17 minutes. And here we were worrying about next week’s deadline…
Take 1 minute from your day and learn the untold story of the failures of some of the most recognisable names of our time. In the words of Henry Ford “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 6 Rules of Success mixed with footage of extreme sports? It doesn’t get much more inspirational than this.
The odds were stacked against Nick Vujicic. Despite being born without Limbs, Nick’s inspiring resilience shows you there’s always a way.
A video about a father and son completing an iron-man competition together. What makes them special? Rick, the son, can’t talk or walk and Dikc, the father, has a heart condition.
Footage of athlete Giavanni Ruffin mixed with a fable from Eric Thomas (AKA The Hip Hop Preacher). If you like your inspiration served with a hot slice of tough love, then this is the one for you.
It’s that old urban myth, starting at the bottom and trading all the way up to a house. Except Kyle MacDonald actually did it. From a red paper clip, to a fish pen, all the way to a beautiful house. It just goes to show, with the right idea and a lot of grit, anything can happen.
As Jill Bolte Taylor was having a stroke, she felt her brain functions slip away one by one- speech, movement, understanding. She later studied and remembered every moment- seeing a life-threatening event as an opportunity to develop human understanding.
Grandma can drum? This clip might not win anyone a Nobel Prize, but it’s a good reminder that people can surprise you with skills you’d never guess they had.
Morning routines – lessions to learn from the world’s most successful leadersBrian Tracy, author of the bestselling time-management book ‘Eat That Frog’ took his title inspiration from something Mark Twain once said:
“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”
This is a great metaphor for how you should approach your mornings, but in reality what does it mean? One way of interpreting it could mean writing a list of tasks in order of priority which you need to get complete during the day. Use that list to focus on your tasks, and complete them throughout the day. You could even write your list the evening before so it’s ready for you as soon as you get to your desk. The cycle is endless but hopefully fruitful.
In a commencement address in Stanford in 2005 Steve Jobs said:
‘For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”
And whenever the answer has been no for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.’
We’d agree, if you’re not satisfied by the work you’re doing consider what you could do to change it.
Every morning Benjamin Franklin asked himself “What good shall I do today?” This may sound a bit contrived but it worked, and he lived his life with intention. Ask yourself this question in the morning and see if it helps bring focus for the day ahead.
Even though fitting in some extra shut eye may sound more appealing than hitting the gym, exercise plays an integral role in gaining focus and clarity of the mind. Anna Wintour, Vogue Editor-in-Chief supposedly plays tennis each morning by 5am, whilst Barack Obama claims to always find 45minutes to fit in some physical activity. Break yourself in easy, no one is asking you to run a half marathon in the morning, but a 15 minute home work out will still release those vital endorphins that help you start your day the right way.
The Dalai Lama is said to wake by 3am every morning and, amongst other things, one of the first things he will do is meditate. Finding the time to fit in some meditation will clarify the mind and help you focus on the day ahead.
A good morning routine helps you start the day on the right foot preventing you from playing catch-up. Decide how you will approach your mornings and commit to a routine. Developing a good routine will send the right signals to your brain that it’s time to get into work mode.
Reclaim your lunch break: productive ways to spend an hourBreaks are an important part of the work day as they help you re-group and in turn make you more productive in the afternoon. However many of us rarely allow ourselves a break in our work day, and far too often we end up working through our lunch break in an effort to get more done. Whilst the thought of working through your work break is tempting, by using that hour away from work, but on something productive, you may find that the work you produce in the afternoon becomes greater in quality.
Getting up and away from your desk is a great way to clear your mind and help give you a fresh perspective. Even better if you can get out of the office and go for a walk. It doesn’t have to be a long walk either. A quick ten minute walk around the block can give you a much needed endorphin rush and boost your creativity; making you feel refreshed and energised once you’re back at your desk.
Meditation and yoga are all the rage at the moment, and for a good reason. Meditating has been proven to increase a person’s ability to withstand stress, lower blood pressure and clear the mind. Some of the greatest leaders swear by the power of meditation as a way of clearing their thoughts and allowing themselves to re-focus and re-group.
We’re sure you’re all aware of the benefits of reading. Not only does it help expand your knowledge and vocabulary, it can also help you escape to another world for a little while. Spending time to read the next chapter of your book can help you relax and calm down after your morning activities.
Do you have your own blog, or have you ever fancied penning your own novel or poetry? Use your time to productively work towards those goals. It will keep your brain working, but in a creative way that is outside of your work place.
With plenty of free online courses all over the web, spend your lunch hour learning something new. How about trying to learn a new language or expanding a skill that is within your current set that you have been meaning to work on but never got round to?
Sounds simple enough but it’s surprising how many people don’t actually eat during their lunch break. Eating is what a lunch hour is all about after all. Eating a healthy balanced lunch can often give you the energy you need to power through the work you have planned for the afternoon. Just make sure you’re eating the right foods.
Do you keep meaning to go to the bank or pop to the post office but find yourself just missing their opening hours? Use your lunch break! Write yourself a list of jobs that need to be done (that aren’t work related) at the start of your week and make it your mission to get them completed by the end of the week.
If you want to expand your mind, but also want to get out of the office and move around, why not see if there are any local exhibitions nearby? London is full of museums and art galleries, many with free entry, waiting for you to explore.
Decide how you are going to regain your lunch break and you may be surprised by the impact it will inevitably have on the way you approach your work in the afternoon.