What do you do while eating?

Question

Not so much a question about eating at work, but eating breakfast and dinner.

What I've been finding is that I don't have anything else to do while eating. I can't write emails etc. Sitting and just eating is boring.

Now, probably having a partner to eat with, would be quite nice, and you can dedicate the whole time to 'us time' but, seeing as I'm single, this one is ruled out.

What I've been finding myself doing is watching TV, or using the internet, but the problem with this is it can extend into time after you've finshed eating ('I'll just finish this episode').

Answer 1

Eat and enjoy the food. Talk to my family.

I believe it is unhealthy to swallow down stuff while you are otherwise engaged. You lose the ability to recognize the signals that your body gives you regarding the amount and type of food it needs. Building awareness is part of the therapy in eating disorders and food related diseases like diabetes. Preserving this awareness is a good way to prevent getting these disorders in the first place.

A buddhist perspective would be: when you work, work; when you eat, eat.

When all your time needs to be productive, you're doing something wrong.

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I certainly don't mean this to sound like you have to force your attention on your food. Feel free to let your mind wander. Having a notebook at your side, as Maura van der Linden suggested, is a great idea at all times, and eating is no exception. It even helps with enjoying and being aware of the food, because it frees your mind.

Answer 2

There is a proverb in Russian - "When I'm eating I'm deaf and speechless". Just eat and allow your head to relax a little bit.

Actually, having capability of 'relax and just eat' is a real treasure in our days. Those who have little children can understand what I'm saying )).

Answer 3

I keep a notebook open and use the time to brainstorm and jot ideas on projects I'm working on, potential blog post ideas, etc.

Using pen & paper instead of electronics forces a sort of mode-switch for me and I don't fall victim to "one more blog" or "one more episode".

Answer 4

I eat.

Eating should be a mindful, conscious activity.

Answer 5

One of the greatest moments in my days is when I can sit down and read while I quietly eat a meal.

I've taken to saving links to articles so I can open them up and read them when I have a few minutes of downtime. I've read 100's of articles that I probably never would have gotten to if I hadn't set up this mini-system.

Answer 6

You could watch a single episode of a Ted Talk.

Answer 7

Think?

(or perhaps just chew/swallow...)

Answer 8

You do things before breakfast. Read emails, but don't reply to them yet. Think it over while eating.

Personally, I reserve nights for relaxation, so TV + dinner is a great combo.

Answer 9

I try to do as little as possible while I eat, but I do tend to have sticky notes or a folded-over piece of paper that I write on. In the morning, ideas will naturally come to the surface if you give them a chance Try meditating on things you're thankful for or spend time analyzing some every-day problem and see what happens. In the evening, you should be on a downward slope towards sleep; I end up making a list of the things I need to get done first-thing tomorrow.

One thing that I find really important for any non-productive time (meals or otherwise) is to set a clear goal of how long you're going to be unproductive and then keep yourself occupied with something that won't pull you in. Twenty to thirty minutes usually does it for my meals. TV will suck you in if you let it—read an article or a chapter of a book instead.

Answer 10

I think one of the best things you can do while eating is listen to music. Unlike watching television, music does not distract you from relaxing and eating. It doesn't grab away your attention.

Once you finish eating, you can move on to something else right away. If you're watching television or reading you will finish the episode or finish the article and are actually becoming less productive! Not to mention these sorts of activities will often lead you to eat more slowly!

Music simply plays in the background.

... and music is really good at reducing stress and recharging your batteries. If you're low on energy, music can get you "pumped" or help you get into a better mood.

If you're home alone, don't sit in silence. Turn on some music you like and your productivity will increase.

Answer 11

I always need to be doing something while eating.

If I am with my family, then the choice is simple - talk to them - but if I am away with work, eating in a hotel etc. then I need to occupy my brain:

• I carry books of Mensa puzzles with me, and sometimes simple ones like Sudoku or Kakuro for when I'm tired
• Answering questions on my main Stack Exchange sites
• Moderating this site and Security Stack Exchange
• Writing music
• Writing emails
• Playing Ingress
• Writing presentations
• Planning work items
• Mind mapping problems

Answer 12

For breakfast, I listen to the radio while eating. In particular, I listen to the traffic, weather and news highlights. This gets me ready for the day.

For dinner, I think or take a break or watch tv. Or sometimes I read if I'm really into a page turner. But I try not to because I'm not enjoying the food if I'm reading at the same time.

Answer 13

I review Coursera videos. Even if I'm not in an active course, I have access to the archives from previous courses and repetition helps to consolidate the knowledge. ProTip: the second and third time watching a video you might try viewing at 1.25x or even 2x!