What the heck happened to the lunch break?
I remember at one former job, I took one every day. I drove home (about 3 miles from the office), watched my story (Port Charles … I still miss it), and fixed me a sammich. Also, I gave my cats some love.
That seems like a million years ago. Lately, my once-sacred lunch hour has become overrun with work meetings. People just assume it’s part of the work day, and I’m expected to labor through.
Sure, they order lunch in. But don’t they know that a working mom’s lunch hour is the one hour of the day that (supposedly) belongs to her and her alone? I can meet friends if I want, hit the gym for a workout (ha!), do a little shopping, or just veg out at my desk and catch up on my blogs.
Please, coworkers. Give me my lunch break back. I need it. I really, really, really need it.
More thoughts on the lunch break
- How Much Does Work Bleed into the Rest of Your Life?: I’ve been thinking lately about how work is not a contained part of our lives—and how that can adversely affect our happiness and family time.
- Time Management Tips for Working Moms: Find tips on how to manage your time better as a busy working mom—including productive uses of your lunch hour.
- Working Mom Social Life: Kids can put a real crimp in your social life, eh? But it’s not impossible to have some fun even if you work. Here’s how to have a working mom social life.
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11 thoughts on “I Want My Lunch Break Back”
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Amen! That annoys the hell out of me, too. Where I used to work, lunchtime was the highlight of the day. We’d go out as a big group or at least sit together in a conference room, eat our lunches, and shoot the shit. Now, it’s rare to have a non-working lunch.
And when you’re not in a lunch meeting, somehow you still feel the pressure to stay working at your desk. At least, I feel like I do. I feel guilty for going out to eat, taking a walk, or running errands.
Well, screw it. I’m taking back my lunch breaks!
I’m with ya ladies! Let’s take back the lunch. If we just start refusing/declining meetings, there’s nothing they could do, right?
I knew someone who did that. We rarely had lunch meetings after that.
Sing it, sisters! And at my job, they don’t even bring in food when they schedule a meeting that falls during lunch time.
I tend to stay at my desk for lunch (and catch up on my blogs – hello!), but unless I completely close the door people will (apologetically) interrupt, and even that doesn’t always stop them.
Often, when someone proposes a lunch meeting, I tell them no. I’m hourly, so that time is UNPAID, and they expect us to brown bag it.
Many of those higher up, will look down on you if you refuse to work through lunch, but I refuse to give up that time without even being compensated for it.
It does seem more and more that people are starting to assume your working through lunch if you stay and eat at your desk. I often try to work on things for my volunteer group while I eat and find it nearly impossible.
Amen, Sister!
Take back the lunch!
Oh man … I loved going to your place to watch Port Charles!
It is so true, little by little lunch gets eaten up by work. Let’s take a stand ladies.
Cara call me, we’ll walk or just eat!