Does anyone else prefer not to talk to anyone else on lunch breaks?

[goaskmum]

I am quite an introverted person but I do enjoy people’s company when I’m ready for it.

At work, I do hate sitting down to have my lunch and feeling like I have to talk to the other people there, i just want to sit down and eat my food in peace and have two minutes to myself!

Am I just rude or is there anyone else like this?

I tend to go for a quick walk at lunchtime with my colleague. Which happens to be my best friend too. 30 mins. If its a nice day, we say “fuck it, lets do 3-4 miles” and we go for an hours. We keep trainers under the desk!

@MrsDThomas

I tend to go for a quick walk at lunchtime with my colleague. Which happens to be my best friend too. 30 mins. If its a nice day, we say “fuck it, lets do 3-4 miles” and we go for an hours. We keep trainers under the desk!

I like that idea!

I always went for a walk at lunchtime just to get away from my desk. If the weather was dire, I would walk around the shopping centre / supermarket aisles. When the weather was good, I would walk in the park or visit the local garden centre.

I'm like this. I'm working from the office again and if I take myself off to sit down and have my lunch my workmate invariably will come and sit with me even if she's not eating to "stop me being a billy no mates" apparently. I really like her so I don't have the heart to tell her that actually, I'd just like to sit and have twenty minutes to myself.

When I still worked in a physics place and not from home, I used to put my AirPods in with nothing on. If anyone asked I said I was listening to a podcast. The perfect crime.

I like having lunch with other people. It's a chance to have a gab with my mates and 2 sisters who also work in the same place. But there's other people who want to sit and read or whatever and that's fine.

I feel like this; I often try to sit away from people without looking rude as my job involves a lot of meetings and talking so at lunch I just want to not talk

Absolutely- I’m not an introvert but I absolutely hate lunchtime small talk.

I heat my food and run to my classroom to catch up on messages, do some admin or ‘play on my phone’ for a bit. After performing in class all morning, I don’t want to spend my break making polite small talk with one of the year 6 teachers when really I just want to switch off.

I work in a team and we talk all day long. For my lunch break I always go and hide in my car. I just need peace and quiet and to not have to listen to other people eating or have my nostrils violated by their smelly food. Also I like to take my shoes off.

Yes. Massive introvert, I’ve chosen to take the first lunch break at my place of work as it’s very people-y and I got used to working in an office on my own over the pandemic! I basically have a brunch break, toast or cereal etc about 11.30 and then make a coffee and snack about 2.30 to keep me going. Most others don’t come into the canteen until 12, when I go for a walk. Anti social I know but I spend the rest of the day on the phone or in meetings so I need some down time.

Lunch time is time to power down and switch off for half an hour, I can't stand talking to people as I view it as highly prized "me time".

100% agree OP. In the office I used to go off for a walk every lunchtime. It was a really necessary and valuable chance to switch off and recharge.

I completely agree with you.
I remember this one guy who would drive me mad. He would wait until I'd taken a bite of my food and then ask a question which would require a long answer.
I remember giving him the death state after question number four.

@Cozytoesandtoast00

I completely agree with you. I remember this one guy who would drive me mad. He would wait until I'd taken a bite of my food and then ask a question which would require a long answer. I remember giving him the death state after question number four.

Oh I couldn’t deal with that! Would have to get up and leave!

Just back in office one day a week and already reverted to my favourite of eating lunch alone in car on phone. I need some quiet and downtime

I sit in my car when I'm in the office. I hate people talking to me when I'm on my lunch break. I don't get paid for it, it's my time! I spend most of my day talking to people I just want 30 mins to myself.

When working in a rural area, I couldn’t get to any cafes/parks, so I used to go and sit in my car to read my book in peace. Then one day, someone followed me there, leaned in my bloody window and started asking if I was okay, and why did I want to be by myself?! They couldn’t fathom that I just might want to read for a few minutes, alone! I ended up finding a church with a bench where I could hide. I would go there come rain or snow, just for a bit of peace!!

Me! I just want to stick my ear phones in and watch trash on Netflix and unwind for an hour.

I'm on mat leave but I'd just put my headphones in and not play anything. Stops people from coming up to you trying to chat

I crochet at lunch. I wear a badge that says ssssh I’m counting! People know from the death glare if they try and interrupt!

I used to eat lunch in my car, rather than the staff room. Current work doesn't have a staff room really, just a few chairs in the kitchen. I have my own room work which I usually have lunch in, but still sometimes sit in my car if I really don't want to be disturbed!
Once a week I have lunch break with a colleague who only works that day with me, so we can catch up. The rest of the week it's 'me time' as I need to peace and quiet. I have to talk to/be nice to people all day.

I spend my lunch hours when I am at work by myself without fail, I love chatting to my colleagues throughout the day, but I need that time by myself. Plus our work canteen is so noisy and bright so not very relaxing, although lots of people thrive in that environment. Each to their own and all that :)

I'm the same. I sit in my car and have my lunch sometimes it's heaven

I’m a classic extrovert, but I still want to spend lunchtime alone.

I enjoy speaking to colleagues but they’re just that: colleagues. I’ve got plenty of mates outside work, I don’t need any more.

Depends on the people! In my previous job we had a wee staff room and it was quite good chatting to people. Current job no shared space so just sit at desks which is a bit miserable. There are some people I would like to have lunch with and some I detest.