To ask if you take your lunch break?

[moutonfou]

I'm lucky to have been in a job where people are encouraged to take their whole lunch break, away from the desk.

I'm on lunch break in a new job now and there seem to be quite a number of desk eaters. I really hope it's not that kind of place. Of course if it's a particularly busy day, I'll happily shorten or skip lunch, but I won't work through lunch on a normal day, where my work's all on track, just for the sake of presenteeism.

What's the norm for others?

I'm away from desk to keep my sanity. Those desk eaters are probably terrible at time management.

I always try to no matter how busy I am. I'll happily work over or come in early but I need to clear my head at lunch time... and eat of course!

I haven't taken a lunch break in over four years - I've been in three jobs at two separate organizations in that time.

It's shite but:

1. There is nowhere to go away from one's desk - this has been true of all three of the aforementioned job (i.e. no staff room, no staff kitchen)
2. I do not feel guilty at downing tools early, coming in 30 mins late ad hoc.

To add though we have a number of martyrs at our company who work through lunch and do massive amounts of overtime whilst complaining about it. They think it makes them seem important. Luckily, management can see through it and the figures speak for themselves

I get a 15 min break to sit down if I'm lucky on a shift that lasts between 8 to 12 hours.

Depends, I work in an industrial area so there isn't really anywhere to go so unless I need something specifically I'll just eat at my desk :(

I always like to have a little break. Sometimes I eat on a park bench, sometimes I eat in the canteen, sometimes I eat at my desk. I don't generally take a full hour though, at least not purposefully 'It's 12 and I'll be back at 1' type thing - sometimes I take an hour (or more!) if i'm doing chores or shopping or something. That said, I don't have set hours, my contract states basically that I'm expected to work to get the job done (senior manager role) and how I organise my day is really flexible. But I do think it's really important to step away from the desk for a short while at least.

I do take my break but I usually eat at my desk! There isn't anywhere to go in the building and I bring my lunch in mostly so don't have much choice. I am on MN and looking up recipes this lunchtime. So maybe your colleagues do similar?

I work from home. I nearly always take my lunch 30 minutes although I do stay in the same room (I move away from my desk). When it's very busy I won't necessarily take it but that would be rare.

I used to did it harder to take a lunch break when I worked in an office.

I'm not allowed to eat as I work anymore but I personally prefer to

Gary that's illegal...... you're entitled to at least 20

I work 12 hour shifts, I take a break when and if I can. And I still get interrupted even when I'm on a break.

God yes.

We have a gym on our business park who do 30 min classes at lunch - I can get there, do a class, shower and be back at my desk within the hour. I go 4 days a week, barring meetings scheduled at the same time.

depends where your work is located, if it's on a grim industrial estate with nowhere decent to eat, I'd eat at my desk. When I've worked in an office in the centre of a large city I'd either take my sandwiches and find somewhere to eat, or eat quickly at my desk and then go out for a walk. When I've been in a shop with nowhere to sit down comfortably, and not right next door to a smelly toilet I'll eat somewhere outside, even if it's raining.

Some days I'll just work straight through, others (like today) I'll take myself out for lunch for an hour. I'm in Central London so plenty of options for camping out.

That said it's expensive and I do always keep half an eye on my work phone while I'm spending that hour away, so that I can head back if something urgent hits unexpectedly.

Almost always, and this is encouraged in my organisation. I take the full hour and usually get out of the building for a walk. I leave on time, too. I tend to arrive around 10-15 mins early so I'm ready to start on the dot.

I don't have a desk. I try to have a lunch break every day, but I'm not always successful. If I can, I sit in my car, read a chapter of my book as I chuck a sandwich down my neck.

No I dont get a break

Being a desk eater doesn't necessarily mean not taking a lunch break though. I always eat at my desk. Where else would I eat? It is a small office with no "common room" and the kitchen has nowhere to sit. If the weather was nice I could sit in the park, other than that the only place would be to sit in my car!

Just because I am at my desk though it doesn't mean I am working. Usually I am mumsnetting

Sometimes I go out
Sometimes go to the canteen and chat with colleagues
Sometimes go to canteen and sit and relax on my own
Sometimes eat at desk but do personal admin like holiday browsing
Sometimes eat st desk and work right thu

Can't remember the last time I actually took an hour tho!

Whenever possible I try and force myself to step away from my desk and get some fresh air just to try and keep me healthy and sane.

Yes, normally take half an hour away from my desk unless I am really busy for whatever reason - but that's pretty rare. We can take as long as we like, but clock in/out so it's in our own time. If you don't clock in/out, then 30 mins is taken automatically (legal requirement here is to take 30 mins for break if you work more than seven hours).
We have lots of places to go though - work café or canteen, several restaurants around, work lounge or self-catering kitchen, garden terrace, nearby parks etc. If the only option was an overcrowded canteen and nowhere outside nearby, I'd rather sit at my desk and go on MN or look at news or something.

It's too difficult in my job to take lunch at lunch time so I generally eat at my desk. I always try to go for a walk at some point though.

We must take a minimum of 45 minutes. Some people do eat at their desks to use interwebs.

I'm a desk eater, purely because then I can eat and have a break from interacting with people. To me, it's not much of a lunch break having to sit in the kitchen making inane small talk with 6 other people purely because they are having lunch at the same time as me.