When I was first starting out I would get up a half hour earlier than I used to and cook breakfast, usually an omelette and some bacon, and at the same time I would cook a steak to take with me for lunch and while they were cooking I would make a salad and put it in a plastic container (with the dressing in a separate container -- the disposable 2-oz containers are great for this) plus my snacks of cheese sticks and celery and often some pepperoni slices. That doesn't take much time at all -- less time than it takes to cook the steak. Then while I was eating my breakfast I let the steak cool in the pan and when I was finished I would wash the dishes (took less than five minutes when you only have a couple of things) and then put the steak in a baggie and I was ready for work. When I got home I usually cooked another steak, usually with some onions, peppers, and asparagus, and sat down to a nice, relaxed meal. While the steak was cooking I might work on some paperwork, so the time usually wasn't wasted.

The extra time really was minimal and I just seemed to feel that my day was so much -- better, somehow. I was in control instead of racing around trying to cram fast-food eating into a schedule that I seemed to have little say in. It was a quite unexpected benefit. Plus, having that lunch and snacks at hand at work meant I didn't have to go out somewhere for lunch, and that saved me far more time than what it took to prepare it.