🥪 Lunch, anyone?

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🤯 A break? What’s that?

While lunch breaks are often seen as a good time to take a breather from work and catch up with colleagues, many young adults in Singapore today seem to be doing anything but. 

Alyssa (not her real name), 27, who works as a lawyer in Singapore, tells Thrive that she often eats at her desk or works through lunch. “Most of the time, my colleagues and I are too busy to eat together or are not in the office,” she explains. “I’d also rather get work done as soon as possible so that I can go home earlier, too.”

“I think it’s quite normal in my industry, and I’ve gotten used to it,” she adds. “I do see it as part and parcel of growing up.” 

A study conducted in 2022 found that employees are less likely to take breaks if such actions are frowned upon by their supervisors and co-workers.

This can lead to stress and burnout. According to a 2023 report by Aon and Telus Health, 49 per cent of Singaporean workers often end their day feeling physically and/or mentally exhausted. Ironically, the act of working harder and faster through lunch could lead to less productivity and efficiency over time.

🥢 Not to scare you, but…

Sometimes, it takes a health scare to jolt us out of bad workplace habits. A colleague once shared his experience of not prioritising his lunch break at a previous workplace.

His constant rush to meet tight deadlines led to an erratic meal schedule and a poor diet. “I started developing stomach problems such as acid reflux before and after eating, and bloating after meals because of how quickly I ate,” he says. 

It is clear that working like this is not sustainable for one’s health. The simple act of making time for your lunch break could put you in better stead – for the sake of your own long-term physical and mental well-being.

🤝 Making the most out of lunch

As much as it can be comfortable to eat by yourself, it does pay to put yourself out there at work – and the best way to start could very well be during your lunch break. 

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The earlier study by Aon and Telus Health had found that 32 per cent of workers in Singapore feel isolated at the workplace. Perhaps taking a pause to eat and socialise could help resolve feelings of loneliness at the workplace.

Having lunch with your colleagues regularly helps you keep up to date on how everyone is doing. You could also use the time – and more relaxed setting – to get advice on work from more senior colleagues. Building camaraderie with those you work with can also make working life much more enjoyable. 

You should also take the opportunity to meet different people for lunch instead of sticking to the same bunch all the time. Here are some suggestions:

• Have a casual lunch with colleagues from other teams. While socialising over lunch, take the opportunity to learn about what other people do at your company. You never know what you can learn from peers or senior staff – it could help your career! From personal experience, it’s a nice way to foster friendships at the workplace as well 🙂. 
• Arrange lunch meetings with mentors or industry contacts. These people may not be from your company, but you can certainly learn from their expertise or tap into their networks. Use this time to build relationships, discuss ideas and gain insights into your field of work. (💡 Tip: If you’re feeling shy, you can plan this together with someone from your team!) 
• Attend networking events or industry meet-ups during lunchtime. This provides an opportunity to expand your professional network during work hours – without sacrificing your time outside of office hours.

Prioritising your lunch hour at work can go a long way – be it towards learning more about other people at the workplace, growing your career or safeguarding your personal health. And after all the work you’ve done 😮‍💨… you deserve it 👊!

TL;DR

• Working through lunch may (ironically) have a negative impact your productivity levels and overall relationship with work 👎
• Developing a haphazard lunch schedule can have consequences on your physical health 🤮
• Taking the time to engage with your colleagues at work during lunch can help with overall team dynamics and workstreams 
• Having lunch with colleagues from other departments, mentors or industry contacts can change up your lunch schedule while enhancing your career development 💼