The New Billable Hour by Goswamy Ritu;

Author:Goswamy, Ritu; [Ritu Goswamy, Esq.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Morgan James Publishing
Published: 2019-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

Lesson Two: Lunch Break, .2 Hours

First we eat, then we do everything else.

–M.F.K. Fisher

Currently, do you take a lunch break from your work? Do you even eat lunch at all? You may just “forget” to eat lunch. If you do eat lunch, you are probably working while you eat—reading email, making phone calls, or writing briefs.

I had a client, who we’ll call Michelle, and she shared in our group program that she only ate lunch when she had plans with someone else. Otherwise she would not take a break and not eat. When I asked her why, she said she did not like to eat alone. She was born a twin, and she doesn’t like to do anything alone. She was used to eating with her sister or her family. They always ate their meals together. It had been a problem her entire life that when she was alone, she did not eat. As a lawyer, she easily worked through lunchtime so she didn’t have to worry about it.

To do this exercise, Michelle said she set a timer both on her phone and Fitbit to remind her it was time to eat. She ate lunch every day the week she started, and she has done it every day since. She said she looks forward to having 12 minutes each day just to eat. I tell you her story to illustrate that changing your lifestyle is very possible by working this program.

This week’s exercise is a continuation of paying attention to yourself. People think that a lunch break has to be a full hour. No, it doesn’t. If you don’t always eat lunch, this lesson is to make sure you eat. If you can focus on just eating your food mindfully, it will take you about 10–15 minutes. I do this all the time now. Before, I would have my food with me but do other things rather than eat it. Then I would look at the time and a client would be coming in 15 minutes! So I learned to stop everything I am doing at that moment and eat for about 12 minutes. That’s how I realized this was a good time hack.

Since we are talking about lunch, I would like to formally introduce you to the science of Ayurveda. This Sanskrit word translates to “science of life.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Ayurveda as “a form of alternative medicine that is the traditional system of medicine of India and seeks to treat and integrate body, mind, and spirit using a comprehensive, holistic approach especially by emphasizing diet, herbal remedies, exercise, meditation, breathing, and physical therapy.” In this book, I am drawing upon this alternative system of medicine to help you balance your life so that you can be a more productive lawyer.

In the Ayurvedic system, the main meal of the day is lunch. But you probably skip it because you don’t have time for a lunch hour. This is why I created a 12-minute break for you to nourish yourself in the middle of the day.

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