Millenials make up the largest workforce generation in the U.S. They also feel more pressure to not take a lunch break than any other generation before them.
But beyond just millenials, more and more workers are eating at their desk or skipping their lunch break altogether.
Health and nutrition expert Joy Bauer says workers feel that there's a negative perception if they leave the workplace, and that their bosses or their colleagues might not think that they're working hard enough.
"The irony to that is when you actually leave the workplace for a well needed break, you decompress, you destress, you disconnect from all of the work worries and stress. Then when you come back, you are rejuvenated. You are energized," Bauer says.
Research shows that work productivity goes up after you've had a break.
"We really need to get people to start thinking differently and giving themselves permission to not have to gobble down a sad lunch at their desk while they're at their computer having to work work work," Bauer says.
"Instead, press the pause button, meet a friend, enjoy a nice restaurant meal, or take your lunch to the park and breathe in the fresh air."
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From a job satisfaction perspective, people will be happier going into the office when they know they have a reprieve to look forward to.
"I used to be guilty of gobbling down my meal at my desk while I was on the computer but it just doesn't feel great. And it's also not great for weight control because we mindlessly eat when we're multitasking. So this is a way to healthify your body, and your mind and your workload at the same time," Bauer says.
