Why Having Lunch At Your Desk Is Bad For You?

When the clock strikes noon, do you get up from your desk to take your lunch or do you stay where you are to continue working? A recent study has shown that many employees will choose to take the second option. The same study conducted by Leerdammer showed  that nearly half of office workers eat their lunch at their desk in less than 20 minutes and one-sixteenth will skip lunch altogether. "It's a sad fact that eating our lunches at our desks has become an accepted norm," says Aude Romely, brand manager at Leerdammer.

At first glance, working during lunch time may seem like you're getting an extra work hour to your day. If you're trying to meet a deadline, pushing through that mid-day break can certainly help you catch up faster with your tasks, right? This is actually is misconception. When this becomes a habit, it can cause problems to your health and career.

Taking the time to relive yourself of your tasks, even just for an hour, is better to keep your momentum throughout the day. In fact, it's been found that taking a rest in the middle of the day has been linked with increased productivity and can help ward off burnout and stress at work.

With these facts in place, now's the right time to reclaim the lunch break. Ditch the idea that you're being a more productive employee when you choose to work through your lunch break, or don't eat at all. You're not, and the reality is that you're only hurting your health and career if you do. Here are five more reasons why you should step away from desk and have a proper meal at noon :

Resting at mid-day is a great way to recharge and improve your concentration

For many of us who serve 8-5 shift, the one-hour break allows us to recuperate from our morning tasks, as well as to prepare ourselves for the work ahead. Experts advice workers to take two 15 - 20 minutes breaks in a day (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) to sustain one's energy level and connection throughout the day. "Never taking a break from very careful thought work actually reduces your ability to be creative," says Kimberly Elsbach, a professor management of University of California-Davis. "If you're skipping lunch to continue to push forward in a very intense cognitive capacity, then you're probably not doing yourself any favors," she says.

Stepping away from work can refocus your attention span

Take advantage of that hour-long break to help you de-stress and renew your focus.

It's so easy to get lost or be easily confused when you've been working for hours. Pushing through may work in the short term but quality may start to suffer. Again, you won't be losing anything when you take a short break in the middle of your work day - in fact you'll do yourself a favor if you do.

So take advantage of this free period to step away from work for a short time. Take your lunch away from your desk, or better yet, take it somewhere where there's open space and greenery. Breathe in the fresh air and have it circulate within your body - you'll find yourself feeling refreshed and in a better mood. That's because studies have shown that spending time with nature results in lower stress levels and incidences of anxiety and depression.

Focusing on one task at a time is a better way to spend your time

Ancient Asian traditions speak of the virtues of practicing mindfulness on one's daily life, but what exactly is "mindfulness"? It is defined as "the intentional, accepting and non-judgmental focus of one's attention on the emotions, thoughts and sensations occurring in the present moment". Simply put, it's focusing or dedicating one's attention in one task at a time. Meditation is one of its applications, but we could also apply it in other ways, and yes, that includes to how we make use of our time during lunch break.

When you eat and work at the same time, you're never fully devoting yourself to either activity. It's a half-baked attempt at productivity that does not allow you to give your best effort - and yes, forgoing eating to focus solely on work would be worse. 

Your best bet is to just spend your lunch break for its intended purpose, so go ahead and just eat.


Your employer may see you as somebody who is not managing time well
Our actions in the workplace determine how our co-workers see us. Working through lunch may give off vibes that you are a hard worker, but it can also signal that you're somebody who is unable to use the allotted time well.

Remember that our work shifts determine which hours in a day we are supposed to devote ourselves to work. That mid-day break is our chance to rest from doing our work and should working, it may cause people to question whether you're actually capable of performing your role.

It's better to work smarter and not harder, so use this free time well. Enjoy the break as a chance to help you refresh and relax - you'll find yourself a lot more productive with higher quality of output.


It gives you a chance to bond with your co-workers
Many underestimate the value of building friendships at work, but various studies have shown that those who have friends at work are more productive, passionate, and loyal. Camaraderie or that mutual bond and trust that get built when people spend their time together contribute to better performance and low attrition rate in the workplace, and what could be a better bonding activity for the team that enjoying food together?

It may seen shallow at first but these little get-together can contribute to be a better workplace for all. Think of it as opportunities to let go and enjoy the time you spend with the people you work alongside everyday.

By : Angeli Soneja

cf. JobStreet.com Malaysia