I know you're on your dinner but.....

[DaveH]

I go to sleep in my car on my lunch. Power naps rule.

I wanted to replace my car recently for something that could hold a lot of gear when camping. One serious consideration was a small camper van. I had seen someone at work on a warm day sitting in his, in flip flops and shorts, on a laptop with the kettle on the go. Times when you want to get stuff done it looks ideal, and gives the options of a nap.

Shame camper vans are about 3 times the price of a car.

 

[Mackem Al]

Dear me, you can't think of anything interesting to do in an hour?

When I was a manager I would always look out for people who worked through their lunch. They were either poor at time management or overworked and likely to go off with stress or go postal.
Lunch breaks are there for a reason, both health and productivity wise. People who work through are no more productive, they just flag towards the end of the day.

Spot on. Lass here is always stressed out and regularly sat crying at her desk. She sits there all day visibly sick of her life and telling everyone "she is too busy to go on her lunch today". She makes a point of staying back later than everyone and being in the office first. Absolutely pathetic. Shes done this for years. The first time I saw it just after I started I flagged it to a gaffer that she was stressed, crying and needed some support so they put me on the contract to help her. Not joking, it was the easiest job I've ever done and turned out she was just incompetent and couldn't do the job. I used to fly through the work and glory in taking my lunch, leaving on time, etc, etc.... From then on I've just let her get on with it. Does my head in.

 

[Bad_mother]

I'm not allowed off the premises during the work day.
The very millisecond I even THINK of eating some dinner, guaranteed a patient will want "to speak to the pharmacist" about thrush/discharge/a funny toe they've had on and off since 1970.

Luckily my tolerant staff put up with my whispered obscenities in the back before I go out the front to play nicely

 

[Sidewinder2]

Don't eat in the office / work place then

 

[JGC]

Some people just can't live without work, their whole reason for being is work.

I'm out the door and forget about work until the next morning. Never understood people whose whole life is work, talking about work on nights out, every bloody conversation, work, work work

This is the absolute worst like.... you know someone's patter is the absolute pits when all they can talk about is work on an actual night out.

A Jarra kiss normally sorts them out mind....

 

[Deleted member 634]

Don't eat in the office / work place then

When we had a bait room I even had people hassle me in there

 

[FishburnMackem]

Don't have yer dinner at yer desk and you won't be bothered.

 

[Rick O Shea]

'Ohh im sorry, didn't realise you were on yer dinner' Really, my pork pie is hanging out of my mouth and i'm surrounded by empty crisp packets the bastard fucknuts'

While I sympathise with you - you really ought to consider changing your diet!

Out and about for lunch then have it at your desk when you get back, basically scoring double

A former colleague of mine used to do this - had her lunch then went for a walk - took anywhere between an hour and 90 minutes for a dinner break. She was also the only member of staff unable to book hair appointments after 5 or at weekends. Boss challenged her about the long lunch breaks once and she went mental! She decided to leave when our company went into administration - I was asked if I wanted to re-hire her when we got taken over - I said "no, thanks"!

 

[DaveH]

While I sympathise with you - you really ought to consider changing your diet!



A former colleague of mine used to do this - had her lunch then went for a walk - took anywhere between an hour and 90 minutes for a dinner break. She was also the only member of staff unable to book hair appointments after 5 or at weekends. Boss challenged her about the long lunch breaks once and she went mental! She decided to leave when our company went into administration - I was asked if I wanted to re-hire her when we got taken over - I said "no, thanks"!

I have worked flexi time almost everywhere I worked. The one place that didn't, I managed to convert them. Sometimes it is nice to take a 20 minute lunch break and leave 40 minutes early. Othertimes I end up having a longer one if I go to the gym or play football and work a bit later. So long as it all balances out, everyone is happy. Well, actually a few people in another team used to make snide remarks when half of my team would go off for a game of 5-a-side, but they were strict 9-5 (by choice). Even if there was a probelm then would be out the door at 5. We would be happy to stay late knowing we had taken a long dinner break or would do a short day later in the week.

 

[a1970man]

The thing that gets me is when you leave your desk for lunch, sit in the canteen and then people come up and talk to you about 'fun' work activities.

"Hi, do you want to know about Gift Aid"
"Hi, do you want to know about the choir we're starting up"
"Hi, do you want to know about the launch of our new product"

When you tell them to see you after 2pm, you get stroppy responses about not being "engaged" or "Obsessed with the vision" (I shit you not).

They seem to misunderstand that I'm not paid at lunchtime, it's my time and they wouldn't like it if I came barging into
their bedrooms at 4am demanding to know the reasons behind the budget deficit in the Q4 finance actuals.

... actually I'm going to start doing that ...

 

[Rick O Shea]

I have worked flexi time almost everywhere I worked. The one place that didn't, I managed to convert them. Sometimes it is nice to take a 20 minute lunch break and leave 40 minutes early. Othertimes I end up having a longer one if I go to the gym or play football and work a bit later. So long as it all balances out, everyone is happy. Well, actually a few people in another team used to make snide remarks when half of my team would go off for a game of 5-a-side, but they were strict 9-5 (by choice). Even if there was a probelm then would be out the door at 5. We would be happy to stay late knowing we had taken a long dinner break or would do a short day later in the week.

I don't have a problem if, like you say, it balances out.

Hours of work 08.30 to 17.00 with an hour for lunch

Coming in at 08.35 finishing at 16.59, taking 90 minutes for lunch and sneaking off at 16.30 every month or so for a 'hair appointment' isn't called flexi-time - it's called taking the p*ss.

 

[Voice of fair play]

I know you're on holiday but.....

Fuck off, phonecall ended straightaway

You seem like a really helpful person!!

has it never occurred to you that if people are asking you questions on your lunch or on your holiday they must be stuck and have no one else to ask.

I would hate to think people who were stuck were frightened to ask my help if they were stuck at work.

 

[Deleted member 634]

You seem like a really helpful person!!

has it never occurred to you that if people are asking you questions on your lunch or on your holiday they must be stuck and have no one else to ask.

I would hate to think people who were stuck were frightened to ask my help if they were stuck at work.

Couldn't give a shiny shite. The manager should have processes in place that don't involve ringing people who aren't at work.

Everyone deserves time off

 

[Voice of fair play]

Couldn't give a shiny shite. The manager should have processes in place that don't involve ringing people who aren't at work.

Everyone deserves time off

I can’t imagine people ringing anybody on their leave unless they asboutely had too,meaning they are totally stuck and no where else to go.

So would probably be very rare

The fact you don’t give a shiny shit about helping somebody who is really stuck for a couple of mins of you precious time says everything.

Bet you that person who rang you on your holiday for a question felt great you telling them to fuck off.