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Original poster

To think people should have breakfast BEFORE work?

433 replies

candybeek · 27/10/2016 07:07

If you work a normal daily shift like 9-5 office hours, then I feel it's really odd people come in to work and immediately start pouring milk on their cornflakes or dashing to the canteen for a greasy fry up.
I'm in the minority at my work place that have breakfast at home before work.
I understand it if you work shifts etc but 9-5??

I find it really odd, what's next - people using the kitchen to cook their tea before they leave for work?

It's even worse as they bring their smelly breakfasts back to their desk so I have to inhale it all.

Am I on my own in this thought?

OP posts:
Basicbrown · 27/10/2016 08:43

how would you feel visitng your GP for a 9 o'clock appointment to see a bowl of cereal on their desk grin You wouldnt expect it.

So unless the op is a gp how is that relevant? GrinGrinGrin

pregnantat50 · 27/10/2016 08:44

My friend works outside and always pops off to get a fry up from a local van, mid morning and my other friend is an electrician, always fits in a cafe stop at some point in the morning.

When I worked shift work at the airport I was on check-in so couldnt eat at my desk and the hours were really odd (I did 2 lates (finishing at 11pm) followed by 2 earlys (starting at 5am) and then 2 off..so on my first early I had very little gap between the 2 shifts and breakfast was always something like a cake or a sausage roll at the train station before I started my absurdly early start...(had to brush off pastry crumbs from my uniform though :) )

alltouchedout · 27/10/2016 08:44

I eat breakfast at work. I don't have time before I leave- and if I got up even earlier to make time I wouldn't be able to eat that early. My day starts with going through all the emails sent to my team as safeguarding reports overnight so eating a roll and cheese or something whilst doing that isn't getting in the way of anything. We usually work though lunch and leave late, I don't feel like I'm taking anything from anyone by eating breakfast as I start the day.

birdsdestiny · 27/10/2016 08:44

It's interesting isn't it. My manager has just asked that those in the office in the morning don't do this anymore. She is one of the most flexible managers I have ever worked for. It doesnt affect me as I am rarely in the office. So people obviously do worry about it in rl.

MyGiddyUncle · 27/10/2016 08:44

Doesn't this depend on your job though as to whether or not it's ok?

Time wise, this.

I eat breakfast at my desk often, around 10am. Partly because mornings are such a rush I just cba to include something else that 'needs doing' (me eating) and partly because I don't get very hungry before 10am.

I have a caseload, and daily deadlines/targets. As long as they are hit and my work is of a good quality, my manager couldn't care less if i'm bringing a four course meal to work every day and spending two hours eating it.

butterfliesandzebras · 27/10/2016 08:45

I feel like I've found my people in some of the replies on this thread! I too cannot eat for several hours after waking.

For years as a child I'd skip breakfast and be starving hungry and near faint by lunchtime because my parents wouldn't understand this at all Sad.

I've worked jobs where eating at my desk would not be appropriate (generally because I'd have a client sat the other side of it!) so I ate breakfast during my 10am-ish coffee break.

Currently I eat breakfast at my desk when I fancy it because it's not a problem here (I also often eat lunch at my desk so I assure you I'm putting the hours in!).

Queenbean · 27/10/2016 08:47

if you must eat breakfast at work, get there early to do so.

But WHY?

Do you think my ability to work decreases because I have a slice of toast in my hand? Does my boss think that? Do you clean my desk after me? Do you think I give a shit what you think?

The answer to all these questions is NO.

I think all those posters who are saying how wrong it is are just jealous of those of us with more flexible working environments.

NoahVale · 27/10/2016 08:47

Shock birds, do you think your manager Mumsnets?

Basicbrown · 27/10/2016 08:49

Does the office have mice birds? Our London one does and there are stricter rules about food.

Bitofacow · 27/10/2016 08:49

I'm merely suggesting if a CERTAIN PERSON, makes so much noise eating porridge, FUCKING PORRIDGE, using milk fund milk, there should be a special circle of hell reserved for them. This Hell should involve being forced to listen to other people eating. No matter how high the volume in my ear phones I can still hear.

But don't worry about me (passive aggressive whine) the eating has finished and I can spend the day looking at the dirty bowl festering on the edge of the desk.

Nothing unreasonable about breakfast at a desk, my arse.

elodie2000 · 27/10/2016 08:50

I'm wondering how many of you who think it's ok to start work late would react if your DC's teacher did this?
DC's arrive in class at 9am to find teacher sat behind their desk eating their big breakfast bacon buttie? 20 mins later he/she is ready to start teaching?

MyGiddyUncle · 27/10/2016 08:51

You can read emails whilst you are in the canteen tho! And before anyone pipes in, my work place doesn't have company mobiles!

I can't. Work emails are available on work systems only, which are in secure rooms that you need code access to get in and out of.

The fuss, bother and extra training/audits you need done to have a home laptop or blackberry with access to emails (which include customer data) is not worth the effort and not handed out unless you have a need to work from home.

Basicbrown · 27/10/2016 08:52

I'm wondering how many of you who think it's ok to start work late would react if your DC's teacher did this?

Again it is irrelevant as it's a different job.

NoahVale · 27/10/2016 08:52

and the yogurt eating,
eeew

Queenbean · 27/10/2016 08:52

Elodie that argument is entirely redundant

Every job has pros and cons. For teachers, the con of not being able to eat at their desk is probably outweighed by having summer holidays off.

It makes not a jot of difference to my job if I start at 9am or 9.30am so why on earth would it matter when I get in and when I eat breakfast?

SatsukiKusakabe · 27/10/2016 08:54

Oh my dh and I were laughing about this the other day, how everyone likes to faff around in offices now eating breakfast, juicing things in their bullets, bringing in their fancy coffee equipment. It assuages the boredom I guess, but completely unnecessary.

idontlikealdi · 27/10/2016 08:54

I leave the house at 7 I don't want to eat breakfast that early. I have fruit and yogurt around 10am.

sofatrainer · 27/10/2016 08:54

OMG what kind of places do you all work at. I couldn't care less if my team come in and make themselves some breakfast and it at their desks and eat it so long as their work gets done. If they're in a 9.05 I couldn't care less either. They are adults and they are paid to do a job which isn't time critical. If they aren't delivering I will address that but I'm certainly not going to get my knickers in a twist if they want to eat a bowl of cereal at their desk at 9.03

birdsdestiny · 27/10/2016 08:55

Nah she can't be on MN, I have never seen her sneakily trying to check it in working hours, which is surely what all the rest of us doGrin. No it's definitely not mice. I think it's because we have a lot of visitors to the office, I am guessing she thinks it looks a bit off.

MyGiddyUncle · 27/10/2016 08:55

I'm wondering how many of you who think it's ok to start work late would react if your DC's teacher did this?

That's ridiculous though.

Anyone with clients waiting for them at X time (teachers included) obviously needs to be on time and not eating during the time they're with them.

For the rest, it's not an issue. On a day where I don't have specific meetings or appointments arranged, I could easily call in and say I need to start at 10 instead of 8.30 today - no issue and no explanation needed so long as the same work gets done.

A teacher isn't really a flexible role, hour wise - many are. Completely different.

Bitofacow · 27/10/2016 08:56

All of you eating breakfast (or if you have just finished) look around. Do you have a colleague who is a bit of a cow starring daggers at YOU.

YOU don't make a noise do you???

NoelHeadbands · 27/10/2016 08:57

I'm not starting work late by eating breakfast at work though anyway, I'm generally in much earlier.

Except Friday's when I start at 9:30 ish, but I still go for breakfast at 10!

elodie2000 · 27/10/2016 08:57

Again it is irrelevant as it's a different job.
Not really, I have a 'teacher's desk and* a job to do. Office workers have a desk and a ummm... Job to do.

NoahVale · 27/10/2016 08:58

the office generally has phones which you cant answer with a mouth full of food can you.

Queenbean · 27/10/2016 08:58

Elodie why do you think I'm not doing my job because I'm eating toast at the same time?

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