Eating lunch in the office can lead to over eating, declining productivity and putting our health at risk.
In his report - published by the American "Wired" magazine - author Alex Lee said that, according to research conducted by Bupa Healthcare, about a third of workers in the UK usually eat lunch in their offices, with 43% of them saying that they are so busy that they They cannot stop using their computers and take a break for a few minutes.
An opinion poll conducted by "Acuvue" for contact lenses indicated that we spend about 1700 hours in front of computers every year. So, should we just walk away from our offices for lunch?
In general, our productivity decreases throughout the day as we can only focus for a limited period before we need space to regenerate.
"Breaks often provide space for a renewal of your activity. If you don't take a break to move away from your workplace, you cannot support your ability to focus because rest periods help us boost productivity," said Andre Spicer, professor of organizational behavior at Cass Business School in London.
The author pointed out that excessive focus at work may contribute to a decrease in productivity, as you can focus well in the first half of the day, but this will decrease in the second half as your productivity decreases.
And when you're sitting at your desk, your desire to answer a call or email or continue your work is so great that you can never stop what you do on your computer and renew your energy.
excess
In a study conducted in 2012, researchers from the University of Surrey found that people who eat distractedly tend to overeat. In the same vein, Jane Ogden, a professor of health psychology and one of the researchers, added: "You will not feel full when you eat in your office because of your focus at work. In this case, when you don't give yourself a proper lunch break, the food you eat will not clog your life.
The writer stated that many of the negative effects can be associated with sitting in general. A 2012 study of eight hundred thousand Britons found that those who sat longer than their scheduled time were more likely to develop heart disease, diabetes and early death.
Rebecca Rohr, a clinical specialist with the British health care company Bupa, says it may seem like multitasking in your office is a good idea, but it may affect your health, and you are likely to overeat if you eat lunch in your office, in addition to that we spend more than half Our waking hours are sitting.
In addition, Rebecca indicated that working long hours can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Some argue that the reason why office workers feel compelled to eat in their offices is due to the UK office culture.
Often times, being on the job, or expecting to be in your office for many hours, often makes you seem committed to your job. But, as mentioned earlier, this is not good for productivity, health or well-being.
Spicer reiterated that organizations should encourage their employees to eat lunches away from their offices, as well as create a physical environment in which employees can take a short break.