15 things successful people do during their lunch break

Gareth Williams/flickrDo you typically spend your lunch hour scarfing down an unhealthy meal at your desk? Maybe you run out for a quick bite but keep your eyes glued to your smartphone. Or perhaps you just skip lunch altogether.

Experts say your lunch hour is critical for keeping your productivity and energy levels up. Working or rushing through it can be detrimental to your success.

"Your lunch hour is your chance to get refocused, reenergized, and refueled (literally) for the rest of your day," says Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage. "Successful people treat it like the half-time show at a football game - an opportunity to regroup and consider how they're going to play out the rest of their day."

Dale Kurow, a New York-based executive coach, agrees. She says the most successful people she knows don't spend their lunch hour at their desk. They use that time to do things like meet new people, exercise, and read. "Being tied to your desk only expands your waistline and rarely results in making a dent in the pile of work awaiting you."

Here are 15 things successful people do during their lunch hours: