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Box Lunch Lifestyle: Using Your Lunch Break to Win Back the Life You Deserve
“Slow down. Stop multitasking. And savor this remarkable work.” —Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When, Drive, and To Sell Is Human
MISSING OUT ON THE LIFE YOU WANT IS NOT OKAY ANYMORE.
How often do you finish the workday wondering “Really? Is this all there is?” Too many days are spent grinding through the to-do list. And even when it all gets done, those days feel more like a slog than a win. Something is missing.
Maybe you feel change isn’t possible. Or worse yet, that it doesn’t matter much anymore. (Ouch.) But if you’re ready to finally do something different—to BE something different—the time to start making progress toward “better” is already on your calendar: it’s lunch.
With Cheryl Johnson’s playful attitude and discipline from a decade of boxing training, Box Lunch Lifestyle delivers totally doable strategies to fuel your body, reclaim your spark, and build a life that’ll make you proud. You don’t need a gym membership, a new job, or to throw out everything in your pantry to start. You just have to decide to be your own champion.
Are you ready to win back the life you deserve? Join the Box Lunch Lifestyle revolution and learn (or relearn) how to look excuses in the eye, show yourself a little mercy, and watch ordinary workdays become something quietly remarkable—one tiny-bit-rebellious lunch break at a time.
MISSING OUT ON THE LIFE YOU WANT IS NOT OKAY ANYMORE.
How often do you finish the workday wondering “Really? Is this all there is?” Too many days are spent grinding through the to-do list. And even when it all gets done, those days feel more like a slog than a win. Something is missing.
Maybe you feel change isn’t possible. Or worse yet, that it doesn’t matter much anymore. (Ouch.) But if you’re ready to finally do something different—to BE something different—the time to start making progress toward “better” is already on your calendar: it’s lunch.
With Cheryl Johnson’s playful attitude and discipline from a decade of boxing training, Box Lunch Lifestyle delivers totally doable strategies to fuel your body, reclaim your spark, and build a life that’ll make you proud. You don’t need a gym membership, a new job, or to throw out everything in your pantry to start. You just have to decide to be your own champion.
Are you ready to win back the life you deserve? Join the Box Lunch Lifestyle revolution and learn (or relearn) how to look excuses in the eye, show yourself a little mercy, and watch ordinary workdays become something quietly remarkable—one tiny-bit-rebellious lunch break at a time.
226 pages, Paperback
Published February 22, 2022
20 people are currently reading
1340 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 20, 2022
I walked away from this book with a brand new (and so achievable) outlook on lunch. The message is simple: set aside 30 minutes for lunch, use 15 of those minutes to eat food you made, and use the other 15 minutes to pursue something you've always wanted (a "Second Place Dream"). The book is clear and direct in its lessons. Instead of dragging you up the self-help mountain shouting warnings about bears and wandering off the trail, it lets you make your own way along the path toward a better lunch, providing guideposts and trail markers that remind you how (and why) to stay on course.
While there is so much in this book to help me rethink what my midday break could and should be, Box Lunch Lifestyle taught me not to be ashamed of defending my time. If I took away nothing else (and believe me, I took away PLENTY), I am most grateful for what this book taught me: I am not selfish for taking 30 minutes for myself. It helped me take ownership of my time and celebrate the space I am able to make for myself while enjoying the combination of peace and passion that living the Box Lunch Lifestyle can bring.
The best part of all this? It works. For a long time my lunches felt rushed, I didn't feel connected to the conversations happening in the breakroom, and I left lunch feeling drained instead of recharged. Implementing the lessons of The Box Lunch Lifestyle changed my day. I chose to eat in my office, enjoy my food for fifteen minutes, and then work on outlining a novel that had been in the back of my brain for years. Small, actionable steps made my work days better and my personal life felt more fulfilled because I knew I was making progress, however small, every day. It is awesome.
The author says it clearly, over and over again, and I cannot tell you how much it matters: "Imagine how rebellious and energizing and courageous it will feel to block off your lunch break time on the calendar right now and show yourself you're just radical enough to say 'Mine!' for thirty minutes." Read this book, give the Box Lunch Lifestyle a try, and find out for yourself how GOOD it feels to reclaim lunch and make it yours.
While there is so much in this book to help me rethink what my midday break could and should be, Box Lunch Lifestyle taught me not to be ashamed of defending my time. If I took away nothing else (and believe me, I took away PLENTY), I am most grateful for what this book taught me: I am not selfish for taking 30 minutes for myself. It helped me take ownership of my time and celebrate the space I am able to make for myself while enjoying the combination of peace and passion that living the Box Lunch Lifestyle can bring.
The best part of all this? It works. For a long time my lunches felt rushed, I didn't feel connected to the conversations happening in the breakroom, and I left lunch feeling drained instead of recharged. Implementing the lessons of The Box Lunch Lifestyle changed my day. I chose to eat in my office, enjoy my food for fifteen minutes, and then work on outlining a novel that had been in the back of my brain for years. Small, actionable steps made my work days better and my personal life felt more fulfilled because I knew I was making progress, however small, every day. It is awesome.
The author says it clearly, over and over again, and I cannot tell you how much it matters: "Imagine how rebellious and energizing and courageous it will feel to block off your lunch break time on the calendar right now and show yourself you're just radical enough to say 'Mine!' for thirty minutes." Read this book, give the Box Lunch Lifestyle a try, and find out for yourself how GOOD it feels to reclaim lunch and make it yours.
February 19, 2022
This book is worth the money whether you get it this weekend for a buck as an ebook on Amazon or wait until it releases next week.
I am so compelled by the essential simplicity of this idea. A 30-minute lunch to put the clock back in its place where it belongs, structured in a way that feeds your body and your dreams. A break from the daily grind. You can't argue with the greatness of the idea--well, you can try, but you'll lose that 3-minute round.
Maybe you're not a "noon lunch" kind of person. For me, I make myself breakfast between 1030 and noon most workdays. I sometimes take 30 then. Otherwise, I have lunch around 2-3pm and take some time then. The actual time on the clock isn't really the issue--the issue is that you pause in your day and do some real work you may not prioritize otherwise while eating real food.
As for Cheryl as an author. The world may see her as a first time author, but that is inaccurate. She's been writing clear text for years. Keeping the complex simple. Clearing out the noise so you can focus and do the right things. Encouraging you like a coach while dismantling your excuses, also like a coach. She asks great questions of herself, and had the tenacity to share them in this format with us.
Think of an introspective, observant, insightful, and authentic friend you have. Then pick up this book.
I am so compelled by the essential simplicity of this idea. A 30-minute lunch to put the clock back in its place where it belongs, structured in a way that feeds your body and your dreams. A break from the daily grind. You can't argue with the greatness of the idea--well, you can try, but you'll lose that 3-minute round.
Maybe you're not a "noon lunch" kind of person. For me, I make myself breakfast between 1030 and noon most workdays. I sometimes take 30 then. Otherwise, I have lunch around 2-3pm and take some time then. The actual time on the clock isn't really the issue--the issue is that you pause in your day and do some real work you may not prioritize otherwise while eating real food.
As for Cheryl as an author. The world may see her as a first time author, but that is inaccurate. She's been writing clear text for years. Keeping the complex simple. Clearing out the noise so you can focus and do the right things. Encouraging you like a coach while dismantling your excuses, also like a coach. She asks great questions of herself, and had the tenacity to share them in this format with us.
Think of an introspective, observant, insightful, and authentic friend you have. Then pick up this book.
February 20, 2022
Johnson strikes a perfect balance between practicality and inspiration in her easy-to-devour writing. The simple message of taking back one's lunch break by making time for good food and "second-place dreams" is a lesson that I was able to apply immediately to my own life. Every page of this book is infused with a deep curiosity for the self and achievable ways to do better for ourselves. She ties research with practical stories and boxing anecdotes to create a perfectly-paced text that will stand out among its peers for its insights and readability.
July 26, 2022
I know this author and she is awesome! Totally ignoring that I got a shout out in the Acknowledgments (how cool am I?) I really want everyone to read this book. Here’s my Amazon review:
I have, like this author, taken a lot of self discovery quizzes. I’ve read a lot of self-help books, and I’ve tried a lot of diets and a lot of fad workouts - with varying success. Cheryl’s story is relatable and her ideas are readable and achievable. It’s less a self-help book than a concrete list of action items. She takes a lot of our possible excuses into account, as well as a lot of possible roadblocks from our different work lives. She also pulls
in a bunch of bits of wisdom from others who may be familiar to those of us who have been on the search a while. It’s a short read but it has depth, and the structure makes it perfect for rereading when you need a reminder. My copy is marked up so I can easily find the passages I need at the right time. Read it, and tell a friend.
I have, like this author, taken a lot of self discovery quizzes. I’ve read a lot of self-help books, and I’ve tried a lot of diets and a lot of fad workouts - with varying success. Cheryl’s story is relatable and her ideas are readable and achievable. It’s less a self-help book than a concrete list of action items. She takes a lot of our possible excuses into account, as well as a lot of possible roadblocks from our different work lives. She also pulls
in a bunch of bits of wisdom from others who may be familiar to those of us who have been on the search a while. It’s a short read but it has depth, and the structure makes it perfect for rereading when you need a reminder. My copy is marked up so I can easily find the passages I need at the right time. Read it, and tell a friend.
May 2, 2022
Rethink. Reframe. Recharge.
Cheryl K. Johnson offers a pragmatic and insightful guide to helping you focus on what YOU want and need in your life. Too often we get caught up in the rat race of work and career without taking the necessary time to evaluate what truly fuels us. By starting small during lunch and giving ourselves the permission to focus on our interests and passions, we can create the traction we want and do it in a sustainable way.
Cheryl K. Johnson offers a pragmatic and insightful guide to helping you focus on what YOU want and need in your life. Too often we get caught up in the rat race of work and career without taking the necessary time to evaluate what truly fuels us. By starting small during lunch and giving ourselves the permission to focus on our interests and passions, we can create the traction we want and do it in a sustainable way.
February 27, 2024
Life-changing daily habits and a clear framework, packaged in a clever theme and enveloped with passionate writing.
June 7, 2022
An excellent source to take advantage of your work lunch. There are s many great tips that I wish I had before I retired. I must say these are very realistic & could help anyone make the most of your work lunch.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews