Little Luxuries

“Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.”

– Barbara Jordan

Maybe it’s a silly concept, but this quote resonates with a lot of us. These are traditions that were so imperative to our childhoods that we took for granted, and now would give anything to get to do each day. Whatever happened to having a mid-day break?

As we get older, it seems to only get worse. Not only do we restrict ourselves to diets and juice cleanses and vegetable cleanses and water cleanses and deny ourselves the delicious things in life — moderation still works guys! — but we also stopped taking breaks. The next time you go to work take a look around your office between the hours of twelve and two. How many people get up from their desks and go to lunch for the standard hour-long break? How many get up to buy their lunch, and then rush back to eat it at their desk? How many actually bring it and eat at their desk in increments throughout the day while doing work? If you haven’t noticed this trend before, I think you might be shocked.

The American mentality is a productive one, in the sense that we strive to look like we are making the maximum use of our time during the workday. Yet it is not a smart one. I don’t believe it to be necessary for all employers to provide nap rooms (complimentary milk and cookies would definitely be a good start though…) but there are other ways to maximize workday productivity that take only a small amount of time!

Did you know that a twenty-minute walk outdoors gives you the same amount of energy as a one to two hour midday nap? Or that five to ten minutes of meditation can increase your mind’s focus and clarity for the rest of the day? Neither of these options require even the amount of time you should be allotting to your lunch break but they end up making a huge difference in your day overall.

Maybe midday walks and meditation are the new “adult” nap time and milk and cookies, the new way to indulge during the workday. But on the weekends, and when these delicious goodies are on hand, this little indulgence cannot be beat, no matter what age you are.

Speaking of this buttery deliciousness with warm gooey chocolate chips nestled into it, nothing beats a homemade chocolate chip cookie. Check out my fool-proof recipe for Classy Chocolate Chip Cookies on The Classy Cook!

  Stay classy! xx