Reclaim your lunch hour!16 Aug

Reclaim your lunch hour and go swimming!

Statistics show that 82% of Brits no longer take a full lunch hour, and it’s not good news!

If you’re entitled to a lunch hour at work, what do you do with it? Do you spend the time getting a bit of exercise, stretching your legs or even doing something a bit more intense? Probably not, as it’s reported that 66% of workers eat at their desks and are in the habit of having a quick 25-minute lunch before cracking back on with work.

Regularly skipping your lunch break can affect your productivity and work relationships as well as your physical and mental health. Plus that’s valuable time you could be using to get active! If you’ve got a busy home life, then that hour lunch break is vital ‘you’ time that you may not get when you’re back at home with the kids and family. We want to help you reclaim your lunch hour, and we think that swimming might actually be one of the best activities to do with it.

We know time can be tight on your lunch hour, so we’re not suggesting you take a leisurely dip in the pool. We’re saying that a short, intense 20-minute pool workout can be the perfect way to break up your day. 20 minutes of fast front crawl will have you burning around 260 calories – not bad for your lunch break! It’s also perfect ‘me’ time – just switch your brain off, forget about emails and get in the zone. If you’re having a particularly stressful day then a lunchtime swim will be exactly what you need to unwind, and as it’s a low impact workout you haven’t got to worry about aching joints when you get back to work so it’s suitable for everyone whether you’re sat at a desk all day or walking around a warehouse.

Swimming may not seem like the obvious choice for a midday workout, but with a little planning you can have a fantastic workout and be back in time before your break ends and still have time to eat your lunch (you’ll need it after the swim). A few little preparations can make the whole process a little smoother too:

• Wear something that’s easy to change in and out of. If you wear a suit then take your jacket and tie off in the office and leave them there!
• Ladies, consider wearing your swimming costume under your work clothes to save time getting changed on your way in
• If you’re using a Brio centre with quick-kiosks, use them instead of queuing at reception for your swim
• Forgot to bring lunch, or just fancy something quick? We have a range of grab & go foods at our cafes!

So, grab your costume, towel and goggles and join us for a lunchtime swim! All of our pools have Lane Swim or Casual Swim sessions around lunchtime, so you’re never far from an intense but peaceful lunchtime workout!

Related articles