Manager Tips: Be a Role Model for Mindful Eating

Mindfulness is the ability to bring your whole self – mind and body – to an experience. You can practice mindfulness in many aspects of life – including eating. When you encourage employees to practice mindful eating you are supporting their physical, emotional, social and even planet, well-being. Mindful eating can help individuals make healthier food choices and avoid emotional eating, and even get more enjoyment from their meals.

Here are five ways you can bring mindfulness to mealtime with your team:

1. Be mindful in YOUR eating.
   Be a model for mindful eating. Take a balanced approach to eating by eating slowly, putting your utensils down after each bite, and engaging in conversation. Eat well and without regret and show support to your team on their journey to mindful eating.
2. Mindful lunch, anyone?
   When days get busy, it’s easy to get into the habit of eating lunch at your desk. Instead, ask your team to take multiple “mindful lunches” a week – time to eat away from work. Travel to a nearby park to eat outside, visit a new lunch spot or host a virtual lunch together.
3. Designate one day a week for home-cooked lunches.
   While it’s a fun experience to order from restaurants, we often lose sight of mindful eating when we pick up food or dine out. Portion sizes are often larger, food is higher in caloric intake and it’s more difficult to make healthy decisions. Designate one day a week for “pack your lunch day” to help employees save time and money and have better control over what they eat.
4. Share tips for a healthy plate.
   Take a balanced approach to designing your plates at mealtime. Share these guidelines for a healthy plate with your team. A balanced and nutritious plate looks different around the world.
5. Foster connection through recipe sharing.
   Encourage employees to share their favorite recipes or food memories as a child. Take time for everyone to share during a team meeting and encourage your team to submit their favorite recipes for AECOM’s global cookbook.