01/13/2026
When did lunch become a luxury?
We start a new year, yet quickly slip back into old habits:
Back-to-back meetings,
Meals squeezed in—or skipped,
Days packed but leaving no room to breathe.
Does a jam-packed calendar really make us more productive?
Does constant motion guarantee success?
I was reminded of this recently, thinking about a chat with a colleague from my private jet days. Years ago, he worked for the legendary Parisian design house Alberto Pinto. Today, Yves Pickardt has stepped out from behind the master’s name to become an internationally renowned aircraft designer in his own right.
He told me their team took *proper* lunch breaks almost every day—at least an hour, if not two —together.
You’d think they’d have no time for that.
But not taking lunch wasn’t even considered.
They honoured the pause in the middle of the day.
It made me wonder:
If they could protect time for lunch daily, how did we normalize eating a granola bar at our desks, or working through meals?
We miss more than nourishment when we don’t pause to eat properly.
We miss space to breathe, digest ideas, and create.
Maybe the secret to success isn’t hustle culture—but rhythm.
This year, I’m choosing ease and flow—pauses that support excellence, not burnout.
I’m focused on designing days and spaces that nurture that rhythm, and supporting others seeking balance and intention too.
Not to do less,
But to work from a place that actually supports us—so our best work can emerge.
If this resonates, here’s your invitation: notice where your day could hold more breath, space, and ease.
Sometimes the smallest pause changes everything.
Image above is of Alberto Pinto’s timeless design and stunning Rio de Janeiro apartment captured in Architectural Digest.
