Do you actually take your lunch break?

[guild]

I'm curious if people actually take their lunch break. Do you take yours? Is it paid or unpaid? And what sector do you work in?

Me: I don't. It's paid. I work in education. Tend to get so caught up I just sort of miss it and eat at desk.

@EarringsandLipstick

Not really, some days I work ten hours, some days I finish at 4.30. It's a technical, results based role, no one watches the clock or cares if I take a two hour lunch,

Unpaid. Retail. Nope!

I’m a teacher. I get half an hour unpaid. I never used to take it and just ate at my desk but the school got refurbished and now we’re not allowed to eat in classrooms so i have started to take my lunch break in the staff room. I’ll usually only take 15-20 minutes though and spend the end of it checking my emails, getting stuff ready for the afternoon etc.

Mine is unpaid. I am a teacher. I do take it generally mainly because I have minimal PPA and the school calculates every minute that I should work without considering all the unpaid work I do at home. I also think I need and deserve a break.

Yes and breakfast break!! One is paid one is unpaid! Both about 20-30 mins. Private sector

Most days no. I work very intensely and rarely get a break.

Unpaid, one hour, and yes, always. I'm useless in the afternoon if I don't have a decent break.

I don't necessarily take the full hour, but my job is flexible and no-one is monitoring what we do, so I might have half an hour one day but 1.5 hours the next. If I'm WFH I'll go for a walk or do some gardening or housework. In work I'll go for a walk or sit in the kitchen with colleagues.

I hate reading about all of the regressive workplaces where the working culture means that people don't take breaks. It's so unhealthy.

I usually take my break, and this thread has encouraged me to take it every day. It's good for me, so it's good for my workplace in turn.

This. I THINK we technically get an hour and I suppose paid in the sense that it's a salaried role. We have to record 40 hrs a week (of which not all has to be billable, many weeks you do more than that, but if less I think it's generally accepted that you just 'make up' some extra admin time) so it's kind of up to you whether you take a lunch break or not, as it's just a question of you need to get the work done. To be honest if I didn't have a meeting or anything I suspect nobody would bat an eyelid if I took 2 hours, but I just probably wouldn't as then I'd end up working later to finish my work.

Yep. I work from home and my manager insists we all take out full hour.

I would add, we're lucky in my company that we have a completely free canteen which serves good food, so it is considered completely normal in the office culture to take a proper lunch break in the canteen and sit and chat with colleagues (obviously you don't have to, or could equally get your lunch and read a book or whatever, or eat your lunch and go for a walk or do errands) ie it is at least normalised to take a proper break away from your desk.

I'm guilty of not taking it but trying to reset my habits to eat away from my desk and get outside for a walk. It is so unhealthy to sit chained to your desk for 8 hours a day. I notice that younger workers all take their full lunch break which is good.

I understand. Same in my job really (different role).

What I mean is that you still have either an unpaid or paid lunch break - being salaried makes no difference to that. It's a legal requirement. Most likely yours is unpaid, given what you describe.

I agree it's healthy though unfortunately on some days either a patient could deteriorate or die or in a less urgent situation eat at desk and still finish an hour late unpaid. Doctor

@overwhelmed2023, 😄 OK, what I said was somewhat job-specific - huge appreciation for medical staff working under difficult conditions here.

I rarely take mine….but v flexible job….arrive late or finish early never a problem

Amazing how many companies spout about wellness and looking after their employees while turning a blind eye to not having time lunch breaks or eating lunch at desks while they keep working.

Every day plus my other breaks

Yes, and scheduling meetings over lunchtime as well.

Usually yes. WFH for a charity.

I always take a lunch break, about 95% of the time I make sure to take it away from my desk, and mostly get outside for a walk too unless it is really chucking it down.

I almost always take it.

We are meant to take at least 30 minutes, but can take up to 2hrs (it's unpaid so it just comes out of your flexi). I usually take 30 minutes but do sometimes take longer.

If I'm WFH I might go out for a quick walk, or prep food for dinner. In the office I'll usually meet colleagues in the office cafe.

I work far better if I take a break.

I don't. I work in a law firm. I currently earn £36 k. i am paid for 7 hours a day and my standard day is 8 am to 6 pm, home then 9 pm-midnight after the Dcs are in bed and this morning woke up fretting about a court case and so started working again at 3 am for a couple of hours because i find it's better to just get up and work rather than lie in bed and brood.

I need better boundaries and a new job.

Teacher - I usually manage eat something quickly, but it’s always just in my room and I work at the same time. I never make it over to the staffroom.

Never, and most times I have meetings added to my diary over “lunchtime” so even if I plan to I’m on calls or ending a call and straight into something else.

I have however started marking my diary “no calls before 8am” as I’m getting progressively more annoyed at people pouncing on me as soon as I log on in the morning (normally between 6 and 6.30am).