Once Upon A Time, There Were Lunch Breaks
It’s Almost As Though Workers Started The Trend
When we think of lengthy lunchbreaks in foreign countries (particularly Europe), we usually imagine hours of savory foods, naps and chatting. Three plus hours is normal in some countries. But thanks to us, things are changing even in those laid back countries. Other nations have moved closer to the U.S. model of a 9 to 5 workday in recent years.
But in the United States, you can forget about lunch hours. Those were long gone years ago. 60% of workers in Corporate America actually considered the lunch hour “the biggest myth of office life.” But now a growing number of employees are finding they are also losing their right to a lunch half hour, or any break at all. About 55% of workers take a half hour or less for their lunch breaks. Women, who are forever trying to prove themselves in the work world, are not surprisingly more likely to take shorter lunch breaks than men; and all you uptight Northeasterners are also taking shorter lunches than your counterparts in the rest of the nation. Many workplace experts suspect even those workers who are allotted a half hour for lunch, often end up never leaving their desks. The move to shorter or non-existent lunches is in some cases self-imposed. It’s almost as though workers started the trend. We’re all too busy these days to take a leisurely lunch and we also want to get out of work at a reasonable hour so we can have some quality time with our families and friends. If you work through lunch, the thought goes, you can get out of the office before the witching hour. It turns out giving up your lunch break could actually diminish your productivity, causing you to end up putting in more hours in the long run, not to mention what it does for your health and well being.
Sometimes, in order to concentrate you have to think about something different, get a way from the problem. Sunshine is good for the body, mind and soul. There is no federal law that provides for lunch or coffee breaks, but some states may have provisions. California law does require that employers provide unpaid meal periods after five hours of work, as well as rest periods, for most employees. Click here to check your state’s lunch break standards.
