How much downtime do you get in your day?

[JenniferYellowHat1980]

It occurred to me today that it was a good job I didn’t have time for a coffee during my working day as I don’t have time for a piss I get 30 mins unpaid break and no paid breaks at all (NHS). I currently have a cushion in front of my lunch break so that I can catch up with clinics overrunning from the morning, but that’s about to go. I will get 30 mins if I can fit it in over a 8.5 hour shift.

So just out of interest, what’s ‘normal’? I know that if I get my 30 mins I have my legal entitlement, but out of pure nosiness I wonder how mean / standard that is. Also whether you have time to make drinks or go to the loo during working time.

I get 30 mins unpaid lunch and can use the loo and make drinks at any time. The kitchenette is in on a wall in our office. I do a desk job and consider that to be a satisfactory amount of downtime.

My previous job I never even got a lunch break but could maybe have 15 minutes not full on working out of four consecutive hours. Just started a job where I get a full hour to myself every day to go out and look about the shops or whatever. It's worth the drop in pay. Could make tea whenever/go to loo in both.

I work 9-5 and I get an unpaid half hour at lunch time and a paid 15 mins in the afternoon.

I eat at my desk. Sometimes I don't have time to pee. It's got busier in the 3 years I've been there.

I work 8.30 while 5, we get a minimum half hour, maximum 2 hours unpaid lunch break (flexitime). People normally take between 30 mins and an hour. Tea and toilet breaks are as and when you're thirsty/need the loo.

Office job, not for profit housing organisation.

Wow. On a more serious note, I’m newish to the NHS and feel it works its staff to the bone.

I'm a teacher, so it varies. On a Monday I get none at all. I have a full teaching day, briefing at morning break, lunch duty and bus duty after school, before a departmental meeting. Other days I can have a free lesson and a full lunch break so it's much easier.

betty, I’m amazed to say I got a bit more down time as a teacher most days.* A lot of my colleagues religiously made time for coffee and lunch with the team. I miss it (never thought I’d say that).*

Oops. Don’t know where that bolding came from.

I’m a cook. We get 20 minuets unpaid break for every 6 hours worked.
We never actually get the break as people order food constantly and we need to do stuff in between orders but they still take 20 minuets pay off us each shift

We get 30 mins unpaid break, I think I've taken five in a year. Social worker.

My days can be so varied. Thankfully most days are not as full on as I've described. We do either have a 20 min break in the morning, and/or a 40 min lunch break. When I was younger I seemed to cope so much better!

That sounds about right Tuesday. My MIL was a cook and was always expected to —clean the kitchen— finish up in her own time.

Also nhs recently no break sandwich whilst working 🙁

Depends. Salaried with a contracted 37.5 hours a week. Sometimes I get barely any break in a 15 hour day. However today I got in at ten and left at 3.

Work to the job and not the clock. There is apparently a mythical beast called 'Overtime' but no one has ever seen it....

Office work for a not for profit, working 9-5 but normally do 8.30-5.30.

Get an unpaid 1 hour lunch which I take fully every day unless I have an appointment that encroaches on my working day. We can take brew and pee breaks as much as we need, which today have been every 30-40 minutes as I’ve drunk 4 litres of water 💦 oops!

Total flexibility. I can be doing 8:30-10pm of back to back meetings one day and another day with nothing scheduled. I always take a break of fresh air for even 20 minutes each day.

Previously in a school I had a 30 minute lunch break although a lot of staff didn’t take it. The worst I had was when waitressing. 6-8 hour shifts with no break.

I work in a school office and we are supposed to have 30 minutes but we work though our break everyday. We have access to a kettle for a cuppa any time though.

Never had a job where I got any breaks other than unpaid lunch break (currently 30 mins). Whydo you expect downtime during a work ing day?

To rehydrate? To pee?

(I don’t expect, just wondering what’s the norm, as per OP).

Varies. I can usually go to the toilet and have some food whenever I want.

But my work hours can be around the clock and vary every day depending on where I'm working and what project. It's not unusual for me to be at work at midnight.

But I guess breaks are sort of unofficial when you get a minute rather than exactly when I want. But we manage pretty well I think. Some days can be slow others absolutely nuts where I won't get anything to eat til I'm finished. That's rare though.

I have a desk job so other than meetings I have control over my day. Sometimes I'm busy and barely stop to go to the loo (but that's my judgement iyswim) sometimes I can be more relaxed. I do work waymore than my 'core hours' though and tbh never really switch off from work.

Cam you not drink op?

Genuine question BTW, you're obviously in a clinical role, are there rules?