Is there a right way and a wrong way of eating lunch at work? Can some of your habits be too personal or bothersome for your colleagues? In this article, we will look at some of the best practices of eating your lunch when you are at the office.
Treat public spaces like they are public
Being civil is the first piece of advice we can give you if you want to make sure you don’t bother anyone you work with. Sure, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t heat up your food in the microwave just because there are two other people looking to use it. The fact is that everyone has to have equal access to all of the shared appliances, and you won’t be doing yourself any favors in the friendship department if you regularly heat up your food for fifteen minutes.
The kitchen at work is a public space, so try to make as little of a mess as possible because you will have to be the one cleaning it. It’s your responsibility. Always wash your dishes after using them. Don’t leave them in the kitchen and assume that someone else will have to do it for you. Dirty dishes in the sink is more common than you would expect.
Pack your food accordingly
It’s very likely that you’re going to use the refrigerator, which is a traditionally communal territory. Therefore, you need to make sure that you get the best lunch box you can afford to avoid having to deal with spills or messes.
A worst-case scenario, in this case, would be for your food to be accidentally spilled on to another person’s lunch box and you having to clean not just the fridge, but also that person’s container. That is if you were careful enough not to ruin their lunch entirely by dropping their box on the floor and having the contents spill all over. Want to guess who’s buying lunch for them?
No one cares about your diet unless they’re your friends
There are many types of people who work in an office. Some are outgoing, some are okay with interacting with anyone, but others are introverts, and you don’t want to step on their toes. Such people can be bothered by your opinions.
If you’re following a particular diet and you’re set on restricting your calories, you don’t have to ruin someone’s lunch by pointing out just how much fat and carbs are in the slice of pizza they’re about to stuff their face with. It’s very likely that they don’t care about what you have to say about it, but they will find your opinions distasteful. Plus, they’ll definitely think you don’t want to be their friend.
What about smelly food?
Many people think that it’s a faux-pas to eat smelly food like tuna salad at work. However, that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your favorite meals. Just make sure to eat them in the kitchen or at least throw away your disposable containers in a trashcan that’s as far from the office desks of your colleagues as possible. Why not eat your lunch outdoors and have a break from the office?
Beauty and Lace is an online magazine for women. We hope you enjoyed this article!