Do you actually take your full lunch break away from your desk, or just eat while working?

[-]

borrelborrelborrel@reddit

I eat while I work then go outside when it gets to my actual lunch time.

[-]

Nimble_Natu177@reddit

If you don't, change that immediately.

[-]

adsm_inamorta@reddit

Or just let people do what they want, what is it to you if someone does something different to you

[-]

100%

[-]

ThrowRAWhitebeach@reddit

I eat at my desk for the whole hour. That needs to change but it probably never will unless it is somehow forced upon me to step away.

[-]

No_Story5313@reddit

Away. Always.

I was the person who used to eat at their desk. Constantly bothered, 'oh I'll come back later', then with a mouthful of food I'd reply with 'no no its fine, what you after?'

That mentality and various other factors led to me developing stress.

Now I get out of the building completey. Important to get some walking in, and I'll eat outisde if the weather is decent or in the work kitchen if it isn't.

99% of the time I start and finish on time. My boundaries are clear.

[-]

Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)

Good on you for putting that structure in place, it sounds much healthier overall

[-]

No_Story5313@reddit

As part of a bigger issue of boundary setting, it's crucial for everyone to have them. Amongst other things, you'll be taken advantage of.

nicethingsarenicer@reddit

I do! But I have ADHD so I'm constantly behind on things, or forget to have lunch at the correct time so have to have a sandwich at my desk.

What makes it worse is I live in Spain, so everyone in the office downs tools at 2pm sharp, goes and heats up their home-cooked meal and then sits with everyone else to eat at big tables. Which I'm still too shy to do even when I remember to have lunch at the right time.

[-]

simont410@reddit

No one reminds you to have lunch or invites you to the table?

[-]

nicethingsarenicer@reddit

Haha, good questions!

They don't need to remind me because the desk area empties out. But I get an email or a teams message, or I'm in the middle of writing something, and next thing I know they're all coming back. 😬

[-]

simont410@reddit

I need a break from the office but I can see the benefits here

[-]

bopeepsheep@reddit

I should add: I work 15 mins walk from anywhere that sells food, and I use crutches, so during the winter with bad weather there's little motivation to "just go for a walk". In summer I do pootle down to the gardens though. (Yes, we have gardens.)

[-]

TheNecroFrog@reddit

Do I need a break? Maybe

And_Justice@reddit

I worked support roles for 8 years... this is not the nature of support lol

You are legally entitled to 20 minutes uninterrupted break if you work more than 6 hours. I assume you are also not paid for lunch break? In which instance they have no hold over you.

Take your fucking breaks lol

[-]

HotDoxJumpingFrog@reddit

[-]

Midnight-Messiah@reddit

What's a lunch break?

[-]

Far-Hospital-9961@reddit

I wfh and make a point of putting myself in ‘out of office’ on Teams most days and going out to get lunch.

So frustrating.

You interrupted me as I was about to take a bite of my sandwich. You keep talking to me as I keep trying to take bites of my sandwich.

I work from home most of the time.

Most days I eat while working and use my lunch break to nap, watch YouTube on the TV or do housework.

[-]

FortuneFit4189@reddit

at a desk in my own private space but not my work desk, without working

[-]

Agitated-Tourist9845@reddit

I live 3 minutes from work. I go home and make lunch and play with my dogs.

[-]

KezzaJones@reddit

Yeah I’m the same I literally live opposite my office. You could throw a stone from the entrance and hit my building.

I go home every lunch and make food then chill on the sofa before going back.

Honestly all you guys ever reply is that people are jealous.

Do you ever consider maybe people are just sick of reading it being shoehorned onto every conversation.

Tarrifs by the US? WFH could fix that

War in Iran causing petrol hikes? WFH will fix that

Child down the road breaks her leg? You bet WFH could fix that.

Get a grip you fucking spanner

[-]

McKendrigo@reddit

"Do you ever consider maybe people are just sick of reading it being shoehorned onto every conversation."

It was you that first brought it up, you fanny.

[-]

AskUK-ModTeam@reddit

Don't be a dick to each other, or other subreddits, places, or people.

Don't be a dick to each other, or other subreddits, places, or people. AskUK contains a variety of ages, experiences, and backgrounds - consider not everyone is operating on the same level or background as you. Listen to others before you respond, and be courteous when doing so.

[-]

smackdealer1@reddit

Cause half the comments are "I WFH so...." Like shit noone cares you can have your break whenever and for how long.

If I liked my job and the people I worked with, I happily ate at my desk and worked through lunch.

Jobs that made me unhappy, I would always ensure to leave.

Now I eat in my car because I don't want to eat at my desk and there's nowhere to sit outside and my building has no windows.

[-]

Marvel--Jesus@reddit

Some workers have lunch in a van, or a break area, or outside on a wall.

We are not all tied to a desk.

[-]

Tall-Nectarine-5982@reddit

My office is my van, and I rarely take my full lunch break whilst travelling around jobs. I do take at least 5 other breaks which far surpass the overall lunch period though.

[-]

Itchy-Ad4421@reddit

Away - take dogs for a walk

[-]

Potential-Gate6959@reddit

Yes always and from day one I start at a new place. I think in my 10 years of working I've eaten at my desk twice lol. I always have my lunch in the park opposite the office, or in a cafe when its raining. I need space to decompress after a busy morning and it helps me think better for the afternoon.

[-]

Racing_Fox@reddit

I eat while working

My last job was as a secondary school receptionist so you'd better believe I'll be going to the staff room for my half hour lunch.

Not about having staff, parents and kids coming up and demanding things from me while I'm just trying to eat my sandwich in peace.

[-]

GuaranteeCareless@reddit

Always eat away from desk. I wfh and am self employed. Half the week is travelling or on site and the other half is at home. Usually go for a walk on the beach and take in a Spoons lunch, sometimes take the laptop and stretch it out to 2hours, browse a few shops en route. All in all 5mile walk with a decent vegan chilli and coffee thrown in.

I see it as space to think about things.

Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)

Jealous!

[-]

Saltysockies@reddit

The homemade sausage rolls are excellent.

FancyAd3294@reddit

Back when I worked at an office I'd always take every minute I was allowed to on break, but since I started my own business and started working outside I find I'd rather get back to work asap

[-]

txteva@reddit

I do, although as an office we do encourage people to step away from their desks for lunch.

[-]

PrinceEdgarNevermore@reddit

I take my lunch - always. This is MY time. You want to talk about work - catch me after my lunch.

In working from office times, I would go for a walk (rain, snow, sunshine), and come back on the dot to my desk. I would eat my lunch on a bench in the park, or while walking if it was too cold/wet. Eating by my desk invited work queries, and canteens were too noisy and similarly- would invite work talk or moan.

I WFH a lot now, but lunchtime is my away from the desk/walk time.

[-]

Weak-Ad-5181@reddit

I always take lunch away from my desk and often go for a walk nearly every day whether I’m in the office or wfh, it’s so important to take a break!

[-]

BumblebeeNo6356@reddit

Eat at my desk and leave early

[-]

StereotypicallBarbie@reddit

Out of the office.. sometimes I’ll even just sit in my car!

Nope. As I just leave early. I only need like 10 15 mins to eat at the most. Then I get back to it. My manager is chill and does not micro manage.

I take my lunch and leave everyday around 4pm. Start at 9am. Mostly remote. Go into the office every so often. My managers approach is if he is gone I am allowed to aswell.

At my old job staff actually encouraged people to have lunch away from desks just so we can have the time away to relax and chill.

Really great stuff actually

[-]

Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)

Great management in your old job

[-]

Start my day on time. Start my lunch on time. Have a 'booked lunch break' every weekday in my calendar that shows me as out of office. If I'm at home I lock the pc and walk away, if I'm in the office I go and sit elsewhere. I then finish my day on time. Almost no exceptions.

In the early days I'd work extra hours, start early or work through lunch etc. But now, it's not so important. I'm paid for the hours in my contract. If 'they' want more then cross my palm with silver or other benefit. The work doesn't care, it will be there when I start back.

[-]

Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)

Respect this tbh. the “booked lunch break” thing is actually smart

[-]

SirGranular@reddit

Obviously no one books meetings using the scheduling assistant do they, but by being consistent folk generally learn that you really actually 'do' lunch! I know I sounded like I was very rigid about it, but I'll just move my lunch about if there's a meeting or whatever scheduled, I'll take my lunch outside of lunchtime even, if needs be but I'm taking the time!!

[-]

Vixrotre@reddit

I used to when I worked from home, it was much easier to fill the 30 minutes with food, a tea and some PC game or a YouTube video. When we had a dog I'd take him out during that break.

I work in person now and get a 1 hour break and I step away into the staff room, but it's directly behind the counter and we leave the door open cause that's where supplies are too. My break sometimes gets interrupted by a colleague looking for something, asking a question, or a customer noticing me in the back and trying to chat to me. There's been times I've interrupted my break or even ended it prematurely cause a customer got toxic and I had to help a colleague out.

[-]

Cally83@reddit

As a rule, I always try and get some fresh air each day.

I’m more prone to taking the full hour if I’m working from home, often taking a shorter lunch break when I’m in the office.

Generally I eat and then go for a walk for half an hour, once that’s done I’m back working.

WFH - eat lunch whilst working at desk, spend actual lunch half hour out walking

New place sounds like a massive upgrade

[-]

oktimeforplanz@reddit

It really is! It's only been a few weeks and I genuinely can't believe the effect it has had on my general wellbeing to not have to be stressing about whether I've got enough chargeable work and what my timesheet is going to look like at the end of the week.

I can see why you’d prefer that over a busy breakroom, especially if you just want peace

[-]

WalterZenga@reddit

I usually take a full day's break and just come and have lunch at my desk. Works for me.

[-]

Nervous_Difficulty_6@reddit

I eat at my desk, generally.

I’m either in the office 2 or 3 days a week, and we have an hour allocated for lunch, but it’s unpaid. However, it’s up to you whether or not you take that full hour.

Personally, I don’t live anywhere close to any of the sites I work at. So I view it as an hour where I’m not being paid, but I’m essentially stuck at work, unless I want to go on a walk. I’d much rather eat at my desk, and leave earlier, than having to leave an hour later because I’ve either walked, or just sat at my desk looking at my phone.

Usually, even if you are at your desk eating. People tend not to bother you, even if I am sending out emails or working on other stuff. So I tend to get a little time to myself anyway.

Some days I'll take a long "lunch" to go to the gym and just eat lunch at my desk, some days I won't take any proper break and finish a little earlier, some days I'll actually take a full lunch break and chill out for an hour. I usually do one day a week in an co-working space with a friend and we usually just grab a Greggs/meal deal but once a month we go for a nice restaurant lunch.

[-]

Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)

You’ve got a good mix of options depending on the day, love that flexibility

[-]

fickle_tartan@reddit

Luckily professional roles in the tech industry do tend to be pretty chill in terms of how you manage your time, as long as you're not constantly taking the piss of course.

[-]

Ocean682@reddit

ALWAYS!!!

[-]

DukeofMemeborough@reddit

I mainly WFH. Put computer to sleep, go downstairs to eat, then take a 30 min walk. If I do go into the office I’ll sit with my colleagues in the breakout area.

[-]

PoorLittlePicklePest@reddit

I used to always eat at my desk while looking at shit online.

People wouldn’t respect boundaries and continue asking about work.

So I moved to eating in the local park, or the office canteen with headphones on.

[-]

Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)

Headphones are a solid boundary

[-]

Samuraisheep@reddit

I'll sometimes eat (and still work) at my desk but then take an hour away from my desk. Depends what I'm having (we don't have a canteen /seperate eating area).

Go outside or go get a coffee somewhere away from your office.

[-]

Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)

So true, working over your break doesn’t get recognized, so better to take it for yourself

[-]

goingpt@reddit

I go to my car to get some peace and quiet.

I don't get paid for my lunch hour so why should I work or be around and available for it?

[-]

Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)

Yeah, it's your time to reset, no need to be available during it

[-]

harrywilko@reddit

I WFH and I close my work laptop, watch something else while I'm eating then go and read a book (either lying on my bed or in the garden if the weather's nice) until the hour's up.

Usually go to the skatepark for an hour.

Life is too short to sit at a desk any longer than contractually required.

[-]

Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)

Agreeeed!

[-]

cottonblanc@reddit

We're asked not to do that at the office. They encourage you to step away from the desk, and they also provide a canteen and a few breeakout areas.

Eat while working

Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)

Yep, proper breaks really do reset your head more than people realise

[-]

Lance_Operazole@reddit

I eat at my desk while working, then take my full break away from my desk.

[-]

bee_highlight@reddit

I make more of an effort to not be at my desk during lunch now than when I first started working! I used to work right through lunch and thought it was done since I was still getting to eat - took a while for me to fully realise that I was essentially working for free one hour a day, and I wouldn't get that time back or be paid for it.

If I'm at home working, I usually just go watch the TV or get some housework done during my lunch break - I eat my lunch when I'm back at my desk working.

If I'm in the office, there's usually a bunch of us around and we tend to go out somewhere for lunch, so we're mostly away from our desks there as well.

[-]

Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)

Yeah that sounds like a much healthier setup now bit of separation whether you’re at home or in the office

[-]

Background-End2272@reddit

I have always taken a break away from my desk, even when working from home. Even if I go sit on my couch rather than at my desk.

Never ever work through my lunch and I am the manager of the department. I will occasionally sit at my desk to eat, but I turn off the monitor and sit on my phone or listen to music. The other manager who I share my office with will often work through lunch.

I don't look at emails after I finish either, but have people in my team who are several pay grades below me who are answering emails outwith working hours and it is completely unnecessary. I've told them not to, but for whatever reason they still do it.

Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)

Yep, feels like there’s always something pulling you back early

[-]

missuseme@reddit

I get an hour but most days I take about 90 minutes

[-]

Contract-Spirit@reddit

It's hit the time of year I can work from the conservatory, so thankfully I now have a gap between 'my office' and the rest of the house.

BUT.. it's really nice in here at the moment, so I also like to sit and have lunch here

[-]

plopmaster2000@reddit

Go for a walk!

[-]

811545b2-4ff7-4041@reddit

That normally happens before and after work with the dog.

[-]

Necessary_Review_870@reddit

We have an hour paid lunch so I take the full hour. Everyone else in the office seems to eat lunch at their desk or take a quick walk.

[-]

I always go for a walk even if its just around the building. I have a park where I can walk, next to my work and I take every minute of my breaks away from the desk, screens and colleagues. I like my colleagues, but I need to hit the reset button.

[-]

sleepyprojectionist@reddit

I have to.

I work in a clean room.

[-]

AutoModerator@reddit

Please help keep AskUK welcoming!

When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you may receive a ban for violating this rule.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!

Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.