To think it's pretty normal not to have a lunch break?

[IdaClair]

I work for myself at the moment, and most days the first chance I have to eat is dinner time. Sometimes I have breakfast, sometimes I don't. Friends and family have said to me that I should have a 'lunch break ' and seem appalled by the idea that I don't have one, saying I should 'make sure' I do.

I have what is essentially a shop and there is maybe 5 minutes a day where I am not serving customers directly, and there is often a queue. Breaking for lunch is not an option! To me it seems perfectly normal not to have a lunch break, I have only ever had one in an office job. Every other job I have had in customer facing stuff like event management, catering, customer service, caring roles, even waitstaff and barwork -there wasn't a lunch break. There were a few that did a strict 15 mins every 4 hours type of system, but nothing longer than that and most things were on a 'grab two minutes if you can where there is time ' basis - and there was never normally any time! I would often do a 12 hour shift doing something like a wedding and no-one would stop the proceedings so the staff could have a break, and in some remote country hotel you've never been to before with a kitchen busy with 200 guests, unless you brought a pack up there isn't exactly any food available even if you wanted it.

I am sure there are many professions which are so busy and unpredictable you don't get a 'lunch hour'.

AIBU to think that there is no such thing as a lunch break in many roles and it's not exactly a shocking thing or some kind of deprivation?

I don't think it's usual not to eat between breakfast and dinner. I think most people have something. And I think a break from work is good for people's work. My guess is you've worked in some places with slightly gruelling conditions and so you think this non stop working is the norm.

I think most people, including you in your previous jobs, get a break of some sort, stop and eat or pop out for a sandwich.
But only know a few people I know actually get a lunch hour.

I also know lots of ppl who claim to not have a break and actually noticeably kick back eating/ chatting/ fb-ing/mn-ing at their desk, being non productive.

OP what you do is not the norm, and if you ever employ someone, you will be breaking the law if you expect them to work for more than 6 hours without a break.

Do you really not go to the toilet for 12 hours straight?

Would it affect your business that much to put a 'back in 10 mins' sign up a couple of times per day?

Every job I've worked in has given breaks. At the moment, I get a 30 minute lunch, but we have cuppa's at 10.30 and 2pm in the nursery in the kitchen while making snack then swap over. My lunch is 30 minutes in the staff room with the rest of the staff to recharge for the afternoon.

My dh rarely gets proper set breaks as a gas engineer, but will stop for coffee if he has time and eats his lunch between jobs.

Looking through some of the presenteeism posts, unless you're busy running a country I'm sceptical that there is absolutely no time whatsoever to take a lunch break, even if 30 minutes or a bit less than that

Completely agree with MistressDeeCee

Of course my job is not running the country, performing brain surgery or anything remotely 'important' but it is customer facing; if I close the shop for 30 minutes it will cause considerable inconvenience to my customers (yes, I get the irony that they are probably out shopping in their lunch break ) and as a responsible & conscientious person I do not want to do that. The organisation does not take enough money to employ anyone else and all profits go to charity - not some rich fat cat .

I am not saying it is a good thing to miss your lunch break but it is the reality for many people - especially in retailing, there is so much competition from the internet as so many people (& probably lots of mumsnetters ) expect to be able to shop 24/7.

I can remember the days when all shops closed for lunch and a half day once a week, no one would have dreamt of Sunday opening - also John Lewis on Oxford Street used to close Saturday afternoons - it wasn't that long ago .

It's not the norm for retail staff to go all without a break! I was a retail manager for 5 years and my staff always had 1 30 min break (or 2 if they were working a long day) It's the law! I never got a break when I was a cinema manager but that was for a company that cared little for hr law and my mental and physical health was in a bit of a state by the time I left.

If you're constantly busy I don't really understand how you can't employ another person....even just a student who might have 2 hours between lectures to come and cover your lunch. How do you deal with deliveries etc?!

OP, you seem to be deliberately ignoring the point already made that you don't have to close for 30 minutes. You could pop the "back in 10 mins" sign on the door at a point before or after the 12-2 lunchtime peak and grab a quick sandwich.

kate - I work in the charity retail sector, it is completely different, I have worked in commercial retail as well.

As I said, I know it is not ideal and yes, I could shut the door and stick a 'closed for 30 minutes sign up but it is my choice* not to do that. .

The law states you give employees a 20 minute break if they work over 6 hours.
I don't think you should be justifying the actions of employers that break the law. Breaks are an important part of workers rights and we should not put up with less rights. You work for yourself so that is your choice but most people don't. Join unions!

I've worked in retail over ten years. I've never known people not to take their lunch breaks. If in all day it's a full hour unpaid and two 15 minute breaks morning and afternoon.

I don't do as many hours now but if I'm in a 4 hour shift i'll have 15 minutes. If i'm lone working on a sunday then the store gets closed for 20 minutes.

I have to deal with customers all day, if I don't have food I get nasty

If you expect people to work over lunchtime, they should be paid for it. Many are not paid for the lunch hour.
It's pretty despicable to expect people to work non-stop all day without a break, especially where this is not necessary but is just done to wring every bit of productivity out of staff. More likely during the recession where they are afraid of leaving their job.
Even if you can't stop to take a break, surely you can take a sandwich to work with you and eat it on the run? You won't work at your best without either food or at least a short break.
There is a bit of a macho culture in some jobs about not taking lunch breaks, even when there is time to do so. Not clever.

I worked in offices. Rarely took lunch breaks.

Another HCP - lunch breaks bit hit and miss depending on hospital. Have worked in places where a 'bleep free hour' is encouraged so that doctors can have a bit of a break. On busy clinic days usually grab a sandwich between patients. Have come to realise over the years the importance of eating and staying hydrated at work.

Spent a couple of months working in France in the A&E department of a small mountain hospital. The whole department came to a standstill at lunchtime as everyone decamped down to the canteen 'Bon appetit'. Unless the patient was bleeding to death they had to wait.

IdaClair, if your business is doing so exceptionally well that there are queues from the moment you open to the moment you close, (well done you!) it begs the question why you don't employ someone to provide lunch cover for an hour or so each day?

I imagine there would be many people who would be suited to this arrangement (SAHM's with school age kids, early retires, students).

I was once pulled up by way of a disciplinary for taking my full hour entitlement to a lunch break

zesty, that's disgusting. I would gladly beat the shit out that employer on your behalf.

One of my friends talks about what he sees as the impending fall of the West a lot. Meaning Britain and America, really. Obviously that's going a bit far, but taking time to eat, especially in a communal setting, recognising the importance of food and drink, relaxation practices like meditation or gentle exercise are really NOT seen as vital parts of our culture, or indeed our working day, as they are in many other countries.

I think we could learn a lot. And it's not the fault of employees or - dare I say - even the employers. It's capitalism gone mental - it's not normal to think work should mean pushing people until they break in the name of profits. You see it everywhere - women's magazines like Grazia are always going on about how to be a better employee, not for you and your own personal wellbeing and goals, but for your employer, your company and hence the capitalist system. Profit over people is not too far removed from Gordon Gekko's 'greed is good.'

OP, if you're charity sector can't you take on a volunteer? I would have thought there'd be plenty of people keen to get some voluntary retail experience to get them out of the house for a bit or to fill a gap in a CV?

I work in retail - if my shift is over 6 hours I get a half hour break - unpaid, if over 8 I get another 15 min break (which is paid).... we are not allowed to be on the shop floor during those times.

How do you wee then ?

Select - or (if not a charity shop, and it prob won't be as OP is self-employed) why not actually PAY someone to do some work. A bit of a novel concept these days, I know.

Do posters talk about a bad/a busy day or about every day 5 times a week? If it is every day it cant be good for your health or for your bussines.
If it is once in a while when very busy or have a long meeting then i understand it.
I think that many people in some jobs tend to only remember the bad days and not the easy days/time of the day. I mean you never hear someone saying 'i did fuck all today' or 'i had a lovely lunch and mn'. Grin. It is like competition, some people feel that they must always look busy.