We are bringing back our a Day in the Life of a Nonprofit Communicator Series this week, and as I was going through the days of our contributors, I noticed a common trend. See if you can spot it?
“Lunch is usually brought from home, and eaten at my desk…”
“Eat lunch at my desk…”
“Lunch is mostly at my desk”
“I have lunch at my desk every day around 12pm.”
“Lunch at desk…”
I, of course, was reading through these while…you guessed it…having lunch. At. My. Desk.
I immediately stopped what I was doing and sent a message to a friend asking if she wanted to meet for lunch next week.
While there were several people who made it a priority to eat away from the office, the VAST majority of those who gave us their schedules for a day ate lunch at their desks. This is in line with other studies that put desk diners at 60-70% (although our sample was more like 80-90%).
Sometimes it’s just not practical to leave for lunch – either because you really do have work that can’t wait or your organization has created a culture where going out for lunch is frowned upon.
However, you can find many reports on how taking a lunch break is better for both your productivity and your health.
Plus, “Finding a Circle of Friends in the Business” was one of our 7 Changes to Make in 2014 – and what better way to make friends than over lunch!
So in the same vein as Nonprofit Communications Free Day and to help you create that circle of friends, we are instituting a Nonprofit Communicators Out to Lunch Day. Try to take a day a few times a month where you get away from your desk and go out to lunch. Invite a co-worker, friend, or new colleague. Or just take some time to yourself. You can simply go to your break room, or a nearby park or a local eatery. But get away!
Working from home can make you feel even more isolated. It also makes eating at your desk a little too convenient with an entire kitchen at your disposal. But same deal – even if you don’t work in a traditional office setting, get away from your desk and head out to lunch!
I’m having lunch out with a friend this Friday, February 28th. Will you join us or is a Nonprofit Communicators Out to Lunch Day just not going to work for you? Let us know in the comments.
