Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you ever work a full day without eating lunch?

141 replies

isthisallnormal · 20/03/2023 17:36

I'm struggling with vicious anxiety and ended up doing this last week. I couldn't make myself get up, go to buy food, it just all seemed too much and i literally was frozen at my desk. I didn't drink any water or coffee and also couldn't make myself get up and go to pee despite needing too.

Normally I'm a big fan of eating regularly throughout the day so this is very unusual for me. I felt like utter shit, very weird and faint until I came home and grabbed some bread and cheese. I do have quite low blood pressure and wonder if a lack of drinks made that drop.

But it got me wondering - I'm sure I've read about how it's quite common for people to skip lunch or not take any time to eat because they are so busy? And nurses for example often don't get time to eat or pee throughout their shift?

Is it common at your workplace to not have lunch or regular tea or coffee breaks?

OP posts:
JaceLancs · 20/03/2023 22:10

I try and have breakfast eg porridge and coffee so that if i’m too busy I can carry on - I probably skip lunch 3 days in a week p

DerekFaker · 20/03/2023 22:10

I don't. I start feeling unwell if I haven't eaten in say, 4 hours. Dizzy snd shakey and nauseous. (No, I'm not diabetic.) I'm amazed some people can forget to eat.

Notimeforaname · 20/03/2023 22:13

Every day. Intermittent fasting.

I dont eat until get home in the evenings. I drink hot water and tea throughout the day.

DerekFaker · 20/03/2023 22:14

Not being able to take a break is of course a different matter entirely and I'm shocked that this applies to so many people x

AtomicBlondeRose · 20/03/2023 22:16

I’ve been a teacher for 20 years and I’ve never missed lunch once. Often do work at lunchtime but I still eat. It’s important, it’s a legal right and fuck it, I want to eat and actually think my own welfare takes precedence over work. I’d think any colleague regularly missing lunch was being a bit of a martyr tbh. You can eat a sandwich with kids in the room or while you’re marking.

MasterBeth · 20/03/2023 22:19

All you all-day non-drinkers, your breath must smell.

whatthehelldowecare · 20/03/2023 22:38

Occasionally yes, including today. Sat down at my desk (I'm a solicitor) at 6am and thought 'I'll clear some tasks before I get breakfast' and before I knew it it was 4:30pm and I hadn't eaten

It happens infrequently though, so I took it as a win for the diet 😂

Streamside · 20/03/2023 22:45

JorisBonson · 20/03/2023 21:11

I tend to have a massive salad and that's me til Sunday, when I will make a chicken and feed 23 people for a month.

I hope you boil the carcass for soup.

HereBeFuckery · 20/03/2023 23:11

Taking in lunch means making it at home.

Today I left the house at 7.30, dropped DD at breakfast club at 7.45, got to school at 7.50.
Printed all my resources and loaded up lessons from the central drive, and checked emails for anything to do with my form until 8.15, replied to four emails. Morning briefing 8.15-8.30, form time 8.35-9.10.
Lessons until 11.10 break (spent on duty). Lessons 11.30-1.30.
Lunch time was: have a wee, go and see IT to fix my iPad which was playing up, called a parent, made tea and logged 12 behaviour concerns (each one requires me to type in why/send an email to parents/contact form tutor or Head of House/log safeguarding concerns if necessary, so not instant jobs). Last two minutes were spent cursing the slow printer.
Lessons 2.05-3.10, twilight revision 3.10-4.15.
Picked up DD, took her home. Cooked dinner, took DD to her club. Back home by 7.30pm.
Then I had y10 marking to do, now finished and in bed. At 11pm I don't have the energy to make lunch for tomorrow. We don't have a microwave so it would have to be a sandwich. I can't just make more of dinner to take in.
That's not me prioritising other things, that's how teaching is right now.

Backrollz · 20/03/2023 23:41

Il make a smoothie every night to put in the fridge for breakfast then at least il know I've had that. Take quick things for lunch like a sandwich and protein bars to shove in if and when I can get a break. Really need to drink more water but I've got a bowel condition and it makes me need to go to the toilet every 5 minutes ffs.

PissedOffNeighbour22 · 21/03/2023 00:54

Yes, happens a lot especially when I'm out of the office visiting customers (civil service).
Last week I had a 7am start and didn't get lunch until 6:30pm and got home at 9pm (then paperwork to do). Only one loo break early on so minimal drinking.

I'm just back off maternity leave and had forgotten just how shite it is making yourself ill for an employer who doesn't give a fuck about you.

I forget to eat when I'm in the office too as I'm so busy. When I work from home my DP will usually make me something to eat.
I'm overweight so the missed meals aren't going to kill me, but it can't be doing me a lot of good either.

MasterBeth · 21/03/2023 07:57

HereBeFuckery · 20/03/2023 23:11

Taking in lunch means making it at home.

Today I left the house at 7.30, dropped DD at breakfast club at 7.45, got to school at 7.50.
Printed all my resources and loaded up lessons from the central drive, and checked emails for anything to do with my form until 8.15, replied to four emails. Morning briefing 8.15-8.30, form time 8.35-9.10.
Lessons until 11.10 break (spent on duty). Lessons 11.30-1.30.
Lunch time was: have a wee, go and see IT to fix my iPad which was playing up, called a parent, made tea and logged 12 behaviour concerns (each one requires me to type in why/send an email to parents/contact form tutor or Head of House/log safeguarding concerns if necessary, so not instant jobs). Last two minutes were spent cursing the slow printer.
Lessons 2.05-3.10, twilight revision 3.10-4.15.
Picked up DD, took her home. Cooked dinner, took DD to her club. Back home by 7.30pm.
Then I had y10 marking to do, now finished and in bed. At 11pm I don't have the energy to make lunch for tomorrow. We don't have a microwave so it would have to be a sandwich. I can't just make more of dinner to take in.
That's not me prioritising other things, that's how teaching is right now.

That post took longer to type than making a sandwich would have done.

MissMogwai · 21/03/2023 08:01

I eat at my desk when in the office but at home I often work through lunch or just grab a snack. That's my choice though, I can take breaks as I want at work or wfh.

Maybe try taking something with you so it's there if you want it. Even a snack will be better than nothing and keep you going.

Have you spoken to your GP about your anxiety - it sounds very tough. Hope things improve for you.

HereBeFuckery · 21/03/2023 08:17

@MasterBeth thanks. That's a really helpful comment.

Delatron · 21/03/2023 08:44

HereBeFuckery · 21/03/2023 08:17

@MasterBeth thanks. That's a really helpful comment.

True though!

It’s about prioritising eating and your health. We get it - it’s hard/busy being a teacher at the moment. But if you have time to make a cup of tea, go get your iPad fixed. Then you have time to eat a sandwich.
What would have happened if you called 11 parents rather than 12 and actually eaten some lunch instead? Called the last parent later on or the following day.

Unless you’re a medic or performing open heart surgery everyone can find 5 minutes in the day to eat lunch. I’m just seeing excuses. And if that’s how much your prioritise your health then fine. But there is time.

And for those dressing it up as fasting - that’s not healthy for women in particular to do every day. We need to fuel our bodies. We need certain amounts of protein to maintain muscle mass. Are you really getting all that in one meal in the evening?

MasterBeth · 21/03/2023 10:58

There's a lot of performative busyness and undereating on this thread.

I absolutely understand that people are extremely busy and overworked, but there comes a point where you are compromising your comfort, your health, your work, your pupils, patients or customers to not drink a glass of water, eat a sandwich or have a pee.

RightOnTheEdge · 21/03/2023 11:16

I miss lunch a lot. I work in hospitality and sometimes there's just no time due to it being too busy and short staffed.
It's not performative busyness fgs Hmm
We are not allowed to eat in the kitchen or on the bar.

I'm not just going to just walk away from a queue of customers or leave food that's waiting in the kitchen going cold while customers sit and wait for it!

It's not too bad but sometimes I do get a bit hangry towards the end of my shift though. I do drink a lot during the day though.

JorisBonson · 21/03/2023 15:30

There's a lot of performative busyness and undereating on this thread.

Thaaaaaaats Mumsnet! Jazz hands

Itsmyturnnow1 · 21/03/2023 15:40

InTheFutilityRoomEatingBiscuits · 20/03/2023 17:48

I often get to work without having had chance to eat and then don’t get any chance to eat during the day, this happens maybe 3 days a week. The really tricky days are the ones when I don’t manage to get a cup of coffee in the morning and then end up with a caffeine /dehydration headache by 3pm which can get really bad for me. So if I do get a minute it’s always spent on making a coffee and not food.

not unusual to go 8-10 hours without a loo break either.

Ive always done this though so it doesn’t affect me that badly. I do find some days harder than others - like on days when I’m exercising after work so can’t eat at the end of the working day either as I’m about to go for a run etc. so I end up eating what’s technically breakfast after my exercise at 8-9pm. I try not to do that but if there’s no time there’s no time.

How is there no time? What do you do for work? Prepare food the night before and surely you can find ten mins in your day to eat?!

Original poster
isthisallnormal · 21/03/2023 16:02

I have a telephone appointment with gp coming up to ask if there is anthing I can do about the anxiety while waiting for the counselling to start...

Would it be stupid or ok to say I was too anxious to eat or get up from my desk to go to the loo?

He'll think I'm fucking batshit won't he?

OP posts:
Delatron · 21/03/2023 16:05

isthisallnormal · 21/03/2023 16:02

I have a telephone appointment with gp coming up to ask if there is anthing I can do about the anxiety while waiting for the counselling to start...

Would it be stupid or ok to say I was too anxious to eat or get up from my desk to go to the loo?

He'll think I'm fucking batshit won't he?

I think you should tell him exactly how bad your anxiety is. Doctors are there to help - they don’t judge. Give them all the information and he/she can decide the best treatment for you. And well done for seeking help.

Original poster
isthisallnormal · 21/03/2023 16:11

I keep reading that oh everyone has anxiety nowadays, it's within the scope of normal human emotions and completely normal to be anxious sometimes.

I understand this, but also kind of know what's normal for me in terms of anxiety, and this does feel somewhat worse.

It just makes me feel so embarrassed, it's upsetting. I want to be normal!

OP posts:
Original poster
isthisallnormal · 21/03/2023 16:12

I don't know anymore.

I was going to type here that I've always been a very anxious person so a lot of it is just how I am, but at this time it is obviously ramped up, but then really thinking about it - I do remember a time when I definitely was not so anxious.

Makes me very sad to think how low I've sunk tbh.

Anyway I am derailing my own thread now!

OP posts:
Itsbytheby · 21/03/2023 16:13

I am going to ignore the competitive disordered eating.

OP, the body can definitely get used to not eating for long stretches. It's probably better to look at your food intake over the course of a day than getting worried about eating a specific meal. While you are struggling could you make sure you eat a filling and nutrious breakfast and have some snacks handy.

Hydrating is important to feeling well though.

I hope you get some help soon.

tommika · 21/03/2023 16:37

isthisallnormal · 21/03/2023 16:11

I keep reading that oh everyone has anxiety nowadays, it's within the scope of normal human emotions and completely normal to be anxious sometimes.

I understand this, but also kind of know what's normal for me in terms of anxiety, and this does feel somewhat worse.

It just makes me feel so embarrassed, it's upsetting. I want to be normal!

Take a step back

…… it’s a bit ridiculous to say and easier said then done - but don’t be so anxious about being anxious

Tell your GP the truth about how you feel and especially that it caused you to miss a meal to such a degree that you ‘suffered’ from it

Swipe left for the next trending thread