Author Topic: What do you do during your work lunches?  (Read 16294 times)

CheckEngineLight

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What do you do during your work lunches?
« on: October 24, 2013, 09:08:05 AM »
I find my work lunches to be mostly for running errands, shopping, dealing with personal matters, etc.  That 1 hour does come in handy.

What I am realizing is that if I have no errands to run I still end up going to home depot or other random stores and look for scratch/dent items and stuff I don't typically need, but it does help pass time.  If there is a good deal to be had I end up buying it.

Trying to stop that so now I will go for walks around work, read this forum, etc. 

What does everyone else do?

Russ

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2013, 09:17:01 AM »
I usually just work through so I can go home a little earlier.

I used to work at a place where lunch was mandatory... I told my manager I'd be "taking lunch" in my car at 4:00 every day. Never heard about it again.

dragoncar

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2013, 09:18:04 AM »
Eat lunch

hoodedfalcon

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2013, 09:23:08 AM »
I also eat lunch. :)

Sometimes I will go run errands if I need to, but that is only once every few weeks. Mostly I eat at my desk and work/fool around on the internet during my lunch hour. It would be frowned upon to skip lunch to leave an hour early on a regular basis, though I have done it maybe twice in 2+ years. I've been trying to convince myself to get off my ass during my lunch hour and at least walk around outside, but I usually get wrapped up in something or another by the time I finish eating so it rarely happens.

jpo

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2013, 09:27:42 AM »
Eat lunch with SO (works nearby) or with work buddies or work through and leave early.

Norrie

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2013, 09:35:52 AM »
I usually eat lunch at my desk, and leave an hour early. If I have to run errands, I try to save them all for the same day to minimize wasted time. If my husband is out of town for an extended time, sometimes I go home just to have some quiet time while the kids are in school.
But mostly I just stay put.

MsSindy

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2013, 09:45:04 AM »
During nice weather, I'll walk to the grocery store and do my shopping or go outside to eat lunch and read a book.  I've also been known to go out to my car and take a quick nap! Otherwise, I generally hang at my desk, eat lunch, and surf (like now).

I work in a large corp complex with security, so to go "off-site" is a bit of a pain unless I'm walking.

lackofstache

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2013, 09:55:27 AM »
I only get 30 minutes, so I walk during my break, I get about a mile in, & then eat at my desk when I get hungry. If I could leave early by skipping it, I would.

chicagomeg

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #8 on: October 24, 2013, 10:32:23 AM »
I eat lunch, browse job search sites, and practice math for the GMAT on Khan Academy.

TygerTung

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #9 on: October 24, 2013, 11:22:12 AM »
I get half an hour, so usually I eat, read a book, or walk, but my walking buddy has a bad knee at the moment so I just read.

FunkyStickman

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #10 on: October 24, 2013, 11:40:55 AM »
I'm either 1. Editing a novel (either mine, or a friend's) or 2. Making electronic music, on the laptop or on my tablet.

Zikoris

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #11 on: October 24, 2013, 11:44:23 AM »
I'm antisocial, so I do crosswords, Sudoku, play solitaire on my blackberry, and eat. Sometimes if it's nice out I go take a nap in the sun by the ocean.

CommonCents

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #12 on: October 24, 2013, 12:34:46 PM »
I usually read or eat at my desk while vegging on the internet.  Sometimes I meet up with my husband or coworkers.  That's better for me because I feel like I've actually gotten a break.  I rarely try to run errands, but I may make phone calls (about errands, not to friends/family).

Rural

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #13 on: October 24, 2013, 01:24:00 PM »
I work through and eat at my desk, but I basically set my schedule, so I plan it that way. I'm work 60 or more hours a week, but more and more I'm finding I get more done when I work from home, either for the whole day or before or after. When I'm here, I'm the default departmental tech support (I'm not IT), and it's hard to get more than a few minutes without interruption.

Albert

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #14 on: October 24, 2013, 01:45:54 PM »
I eat lunch, what else? I think it's unhealthy to not eat a proper meal between 7 am when I leave home and 7 pm when I return.

RMD

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #15 on: October 24, 2013, 01:58:22 PM »
My husband and I work for the same company, so we eat lunch together just about every day.  A nice 30 minute mid-day lunch date every day.  Sometimes it's the only chance we get to have adult conversation not interspersed with "take three more bites" and "eat your beans, please."

Eric

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #16 on: October 24, 2013, 02:32:40 PM »
I currently work during my work lunches.  It's cool, I'm only expected to be here from 9am-5pm. 

Back when I had a designated lunch time that was built into my schedule, i.e. 9 hours for an 8 hour day, I used to eat for half and walk for half.

livetogive

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #17 on: October 24, 2013, 04:04:31 PM »
I haven't had an official lunch in years,  so usually work while eating at my desk. 

BlueMR2

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #18 on: October 24, 2013, 04:45:53 PM »
Normally just surf the Internet.  However, lately we've been going out and playing frisbee in the empty lot next door.  (Hence why I'm hardly ever posting anymore).  :-)

Bruised_Pepper

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #19 on: October 24, 2013, 04:53:03 PM »
Eat, then take a walk.  I used to work next to a park, so I'd walk around and hit on chicks during the summer.  Now, I work on a college campus--it's still great for walking, but hitting on chicks is a big no-no. 

dragoncar

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #20 on: October 24, 2013, 06:36:44 PM »
Eat, then take a walk.  I used to work next to a park, so I'd walk around and hit on chicks during the summer.  Now, I work on a college campus--it's still great for walking, but hitting on chicks is a big no-no.

You can still scatter breadcrns and watch the chicks

mm31

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #21 on: October 24, 2013, 11:41:14 PM »
I eat lunch or prepare it myself. I don't really hurry up w/ lunch, I usually consider it part of my 8-hour workday.

RobertBirnie

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #22 on: October 24, 2013, 11:50:18 PM »
Sometimes if it's nice out I go take a nap in the sun by the ocean.

Omg  I wish I could do that!

I'm a really horrible person and eat out 50% of the time. Its a bad habit and expensive but I enjoy it oh so much. While out of the office I listen to podcasts on my phone. Planet Money, Freakonomics, and This American Life are my favorites.

gooki

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #23 on: October 25, 2013, 12:43:45 AM »
I used to nap in the local park. Now I go for a 45 minute walk, or hop on my bike and run some errands.

PS I've normally eaten my lunch at my desk before 11am.

Sacadoh

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #24 on: October 25, 2013, 04:18:54 AM »
I walk for the full hour whenever I can, down by the Rive Clyde.

Living in Scotland the weather can be quite lively but I find my day passes quickly and I perform better in the afternoon.

With 3 kids and a demanding Mrs at home it is quickly becoming my only form of exercise.

I track my walks with Endemondo (free) on my work blackberry (free).

Also means I dont spend any money!

If you work your lunch you are reducing your hourly rate on the job.

chasesfish

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #25 on: October 25, 2013, 05:03:08 AM »
Either have a company paid meal with a client (working w/free food), or eat with a couple coworkers and talk about brewing cheap.  We are big on the $4 subway special or the costco food court

happy

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #26 on: October 25, 2013, 05:09:53 AM »
Eat lunch and do work emails/or talk to colleagues about work issues. I'm always trying to get home to my family so anyway I can compress I utilise.

ender

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #27 on: October 25, 2013, 06:25:47 AM »
Depends.

I'm salaried, so my lunch isn't really paid if you are honest (which I am).

Recently, I've been at work longer and so I've had quite a few working lunches, but generally I try to eat with my team (who almost always eats on site, WIN).

Cromacster

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #28 on: October 25, 2013, 06:48:32 AM »
A group of people I work with eat lunch and play cards in a storage room.  It's not poker and there is no money involved.  Fun way to burn a 45 min lunch.

Most of us bring lunch from home.  Occasionally we will get take out.

teen persuasion

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #29 on: October 25, 2013, 07:04:32 AM »
If it is a weekday, and there is another staff member working, I get 30 minutes.  Then I eat and read, though sometimes the reading is prep work for next week's story hour!

If it is a Saturday and I'm working alone, there is no one else to cover the circ desk, so I just snatch bites in between busy times.  I often don't even get a chance to think about eating until 2pm on those days.

Cook for Good

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #30 on: October 25, 2013, 07:05:22 AM »
I eat lunch, what else? I think it's unhealthy to not eat a proper meal between 7 am when I leave home and 7 pm when I return.

Yaay, Albert! Take time for mindful eating of healthy food. Add exercise or a good read on a non-work-related topic if you have time. Time off for lunch or vacation makes you more productive in the long run.

My Taster and I work at home and I write cookbooks, so we almost always have a hot meal together, often after I've taken photos of it, then read a bit of fiction before going back to work.

ichangedmyname

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #31 on: October 25, 2013, 07:12:43 AM »
I eat my lunch and if the weather's okay (not cold and windy) I walk around the building. It's a mandatory lunch 45 minutes long and I have a 10-hour shift so I love that little break.

Eric

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #32 on: October 25, 2013, 11:00:32 AM »
A group of people I work with eat lunch and play cards in a storage room.  It's not poker and there is no money involved.  Fun way to burn a 45 min lunch.

What do you play?  Euchre?  I worked at a summer job once where lots of us played speed Euchre every lunch period.  It was pretty fun, but hard to eat.

Cromacster

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #33 on: October 25, 2013, 11:03:17 AM »
A group of people I work with eat lunch and play cards in a storage room.  It's not poker and there is no money involved.  Fun way to burn a 45 min lunch.

What do you play?  Euchre?  I worked at a summer job once where lots of us played speed Euchre every lunch period.  It was pretty fun, but hard to eat.
jmn

It is a game that I believe started as euchre, but they've adapted it over the years adding new rules etc to make it, its own game.  Yea, if you are winning alot one particular day, you hardly have time to eat between dealing and playing.

netskyblue

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #34 on: October 26, 2013, 03:25:56 PM »
I have an hour, I usually spend it in my car when the weather's nice.  I eat for the first 15-20 minutes, then knit for the rest.  Couple times a week browse job boards on my phone, or pick up groceries so I don't have to after work (if it's nothing needing refrigeration).

sleepyguy

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #35 on: October 26, 2013, 06:22:07 PM »
If not going out with coworkers, I go over hand histories to patch up leaks.

ender

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #36 on: November 02, 2013, 08:32:21 AM »
If you work your lunch you are reducing your hourly rate on the job.

When I work during my 30 min lunch break, I leave 30 minutes earlier.

TickInTime

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #37 on: November 02, 2013, 08:36:50 AM »
I eat (5-10 mins) then read for the other 50 mins. I should be able to skip it as  I am commission based but I am required to take a lunch and forbidden to work during it.

Oh the fun...

mm1970

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #38 on: November 02, 2013, 08:48:28 AM »
Mmm...I don't get much of a lunch break these days because I have kids and have to leave at 4 pm.  And I'm not always in early.  So my lunch break now is 10-15 minutes, and I eat lunch.

In the past it has included:
Walking (30 min)
Running/ showering
Running errands - grocery store, drug store, kids or my doctors or dentists appointments
School plays or meetings with teachers

The school/ kid functions and appointments take up enough time these days that I rarely get an actual lunch break longer than 15 min, or one where I can go for a walk.  My husband and I have started to try and eat lunch together once every couple of weeks (only date we get, really).

I've recently decided that I earn 5 hrs of PTO a week, so I might as well use them for the kid functions, etc.  So I'm just not accumulating PTO anymore.  I'm seriously planning on quitting in the next couple of months so I might as well use them instead of just getting paid out.  I'd rather have the time.

wtjbatman

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #39 on: November 02, 2013, 08:13:27 PM »
I work in a profession where we are effectively on call 100% of the time, so we don't take regular breaks/lunches. BUT, we (usually) have plenty of down time, so no worries. It's honestly rare I haven't been able to grab a snack or a meal within a reasonable amount of time of being hungry. Basically though, that means you eat when you can, and your break is when you're not responding to a call or doing paperwork.

zinnie

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #40 on: November 02, 2013, 10:13:27 PM »
I go running most days. Every so often, errands. Every couple weeks: out for lunch with coworkers.

cynthia1848

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #41 on: November 04, 2013, 09:35:13 AM »
I work and eat.  The joys of the billable hour.

Osprey

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #42 on: November 05, 2013, 09:23:31 AM »
If I take lunch I find it extremely difficult to return to doing "work." So I eat at my desk and either come in late or leave early.

NVDee

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #43 on: November 06, 2013, 10:58:38 AM »
M-W-F  I try to get out for a 5km run, T-T are errand days (grocery shopping) I only have 30 minutes so I have to hustle but it goes fast and makes my day shorter.

Exflyboy

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #44 on: November 06, 2013, 11:03:19 AM »
Sleep in my car,

3 days a week I have to get up at 4:30 to get to my first meeting at 7am.. Then I work till 4pm.. ugh

In April I will retire..:)

NestEggChick (formerly PFgal)

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #45 on: November 13, 2013, 09:35:44 AM »
I think it's important to get some fresh air and a bit of exercise during the day, especially when I was working at a desk for 8 hours. I would eat a slow, relaxed lunch, then take a walk in most weather. I'd bundle up in the winter and make an extra effort to go out, even in the snow and ice, because otherwise I wouldn't be outside during daylight (sunset is 4pm here in December.) If I didn't want a long walk, I'd sit on a bench and enjoy the nice weather. It was a good time to call my grandfather, since the rest of the family only called in the evenings and he got lonely a lot. We had great chats during many of my lunch breaks. If I really couldn't go out because, say, it was blinding rain or 100+ degrees, I'd stay in and read a book. I read most of Your Money Or Your Life while sitting at my desk on my lunch breaks :) It's a great time to read sites like this or personal development books on other topics. Also, while walking, I would sometimes listen to audio books. That way my lunch break was productive, relaxing, and energizing all at once.

SnackDog

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Re: What do you do during your work lunches?
« Reply #46 on: November 13, 2013, 01:45:52 PM »
I agree with the last poster. I walk at lunch every chance I get. It really helps to get out of the office, away from the dumb PC, away from the rat race (and the rats) and stroll through another part of the city. I find new streets all the time and still get lost occasionally. I get back refreshed and ready to attack the afternoon.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!