Taking a Lunch Break

We’re all guilty of shoving lunch down our throats at breakneck speed, at our desks,… some of the time.

But did you know that close to 75% of North Americans eat 2-3 of their weekday lunches at their desks?  The place I used to work, that statistic was more like 95% of staff eating at their desks 4-5 days a week.  On average…  So what are some of the negative side effects of rushing lunch?

Well, we could start with- poor digestion.  Remember our mothers telling us to chew our food properly?  Well, they were (are) right.  Next time you take a bite of, well, just about anything except yogurt or applesauce, try chewing that bite at least 50 times before swallowing.  It’s a whole different taste and food experience.  And your esophagus, stomach, small intestines and colon will actually thank you for slowing down.  Chewing each bite at least 50 times takes time.  More time than you’ve likely allotted for desk lunch…

Then there’s the whole issue of setting an example at work.  If the boss eats at her desk, don’t we all feel guilty doing anything different?  Of course we do.  So whether you’re a boss or a worker bee, get with the program and start being smart about lunch breaks.  Hey, folks in Montreal go out at lunch time.  It’s smart, it’s generally healthier and it’s good for the economy!

And last but not least for this blog anyway- is the dirty desk issue.  Ever try to sweep out sandwich crumbs from your keyboard?  How about month old crackers or mayonnaise drippings?  Gross, disgusting, unsanitary… enough said.

Most of us don’t think twice about eating at our desk.

Now that I work from home, I’ve made a pledge to never eat lunch at my desk.

How about you?  What’s your story about lunch and desks?  I’ve got a prize for the person who has the best , most outrageous or funniest excuse for eating at their desk.  I get to chose the winner.  You get to submit your story!