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Interrupted by phone when eating lunch at your desk

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Isn't it very annoying when you're sat at your desk in the office having your lunch, when you get frequently interrupted by constant ringing of other peoples' phones.

I work in a typical office environment and usually take an hour for lunch, which is normally spent sat at my desk.  The reason for this is that I like to eat and catch up with the news at the same time; not perhaps a very healthy way to spend your lunch hour, but it's my own time and that's how I prefer to spend it.

The office where I work is of an open plan design and the desks are arranged into groups of six.  I sit at one of these groups and quite often find myself alone at lunchtime as a number of my colleagues go out either to the cafeteria or home for lunch.  The problem is, they often forget to divert their desk phone to their mobile, or to enable their voicemail before they leave.

Sitting eating lunch at my desk in the office, phones ringing all around me It's very irritating when the phones are constantly ringing and there is no one except me around to answer them.  I find it impossible to leave a phone ringing and to continue eating my lunch, so I don't really have any other choice other than to take the call.  I then end up having to explain that such and such is out to lunch, yes I'll take a message, but no I don't know anything about their project and what they said to you yesterday.  Why do they always assume that you know everything about that persons' work, when all you are doing is simply answering their phone?

Here's another annoying thing that often happens at lunchtime.  You're sitting there eating a sandwich and perhaps reading a book or a newspaper, and someone decides to come up to you and ask work related questions or talk about work.  It's just so rude, especially when it is blatantly obvious that you are on your lunch break.

It doesn't take much to divert a telephone...

It would be great if people you work with could be a little more thoughtful and think about colleagues who prefer to take their lunch break at their desk.  It doesn't take much to divert a telephone, and if you see someone with a sandwich reading the news then take the hint; they're on they're break and probably don't want to be disturbed with work queries!


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Stanley

Stanley

I am sick of thoughtless people ringing between 1230 and 1330 . I have noticed it's nearly always women . Perhaps they do nothing all morning and think they better make a few calls before these part-time wasters go home for the afterenoon .
04/12/12 Stanley
-1
t

t

get some earplugs and a psychiatrist .
24/11/11 t
-13
grrrrrrrrrrr

grrrrrrrrrrr

If I go for a walk, I'm not really having my lunch. In Scotland, so most of the year an alfresco lunch will involve my sandwich soaking up twice its weight in rainwater, and how else can I microwave my soup?
I work with people who are oblivious to the fact that I'm munching on my lunch is an indication I'm at lunch. I have pointed it out to some who sound surprised.
And even at that, they keep talking about their work related problem. I get at least one interruption per day and its always something that can wait till my lunch break is over.
06/11/10 grrrrrrrrrrr
28
DinkyD

DinkyD

Just do not bother having lunch at your desk but just take your lunch with you to a nearby park - this is what I aim to do having spent nearly every lunchtime at my desk - no one else at work is going to thank you for being committed or trying to catch up on your work. In fact, they will only expect you to be accessible all the time and health is much more important than a job. Take time out and have some lunch and some 'me' time. Good luck.
04/11/10 DinkyD
5
noneedforname

noneedforname

Easy solution! Don't take lunch at your desk!! If you are in your work place, at your work station I think it is fair that people think you are working! This whole thread seems a waste of time to me.
15/04/10 noneedforname
6
gpmg-762

gpmg-762

Quote "I find it very very annoying when people eat at their desks for lunch and I have to hear them chew and crunch. I work in a room that is 11 x 20 with 4 people" 11 x 20 what, if you are in the Uk and if your space = less than 11m3 per person you need a bigger office - Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992, any ceiling over 3m high is to be counted as 3m , as for the original poster, buy a decent newspaper and go and sit in a local park and get some fresh air to boot, as your break should be away from your place of work
13/04/10 gpmg-762
13
Marty

Marty

Sitting at your desk is not what I would call having a lunch. It is more healthy to leave the office environment for a break.

Answering telephones other than your own desk phone is bad practice.

Some work colleagues have no sense of discretion and will pose work related issues to you at a time with your mouth full of Subway meatball baguette.

If you wish to avoid all the work related annoyances simply leave the office for lunch.
03/09/09 Marty
-5
BeachNBoardwalk

BeachNBoardwalk

I've tried to eat lunch at my desk but it doesn't work. People seem to have no problem approaching you for a question and then sticking their nose into your food and making comments on it. I now eat out in my car. We have a cafeteria but we also have a huge amount of lunch sniffers so I prefer to stay away from them. I am a semi-decent cook so I bring in my leftovers and you can be sure someone will stick their nose into it. Disgusting.
02/09/09 BeachNBoardwalk
-4
Answer your own freking phone

Answer your own freking phone

stop whining: go froil yourself. I seriously doubt you have any idea how irritating a ringing phone is! You are probably one of those selfish gits who buggrz off to lunch and leaves the rest of us to play secretary for you.
18/08/09 Answer your own freking phone
6
stop whining

stop whining

I find it "interesting" that you've gone on about the importance of your lunch break, and that it's your time, and that you dislike being interrupted by having to answer work related calls and carry on work related conversations during your break. Interesting because your expectation is that your coworkers forward their phones (because it doesn't take much), so that they can answer their own phone calls. Based on the information you provided, it appears that other people work in your office; I am going to make the bold suggestion that perhaps you acknowledge that they are equally deserving of a break without having to be constantly interrupted by phone calls and maintain work related conversation. It also appears that they way your coworkers spend their lunch hour effectively achieves this goal. Another bold suggestion: follow their lead and leave the office.
18/08/09 stop whining
4
anonymous

anonymous

Why do stores give out phone numbers that are never answered? Today I've tried five times to contact the Carphone Warehouse in Cornamrket, Oxford. They publish an 0870 number to contact the store, but never answer it. I also have their landline, and they never answer that either Every call today eneded with BT terminating the call as unanswered, but that was after a considrable time left ringing. If anyone's bored, try it; 01865 200826 - good luck
19/03/09 anonymous
3
Sunrise

Sunrise

I too spend many lunchtimes in the office, but I divert the switchboard number to another phone in the office, so that I'm not answering the phone with a mouthful of food, and can spend an hour quietly reading, or doing whatever. Our lunches are staggered, so there is always phones going, and I can't say it bothers me at all. If ringing phones bother you so much, find a library nearby and go and catch up on your news there. Perhaps your colleagues assume there is no need to divert their phones as you're so willing to stay in the office at lunchtime - stop acting the martyr. Most people who stay in the office at lunch, do so because they are working through their lunch. If you're not - go out!
15/03/09 Sunrise
-6
frustrated

frustrated

I find it very very annoying when people eat at their desks for lunch and I have to hear them chew and crunch. I work in a room that is 11 x 20 with 4 people, and everyone eats in there with tuna, smelly fish, thai food, crunchy chips, salad crunching, smelly food and it is so annoying, I get irritated just being in there and have to leave. I even have co workers with their fresh toasted bagel and coffee, come right up behind me, talk, crunch and chew and slurp while talking to me. To me that is disgusting and rude, and annoying. Eat and then come over and talk to me. I don't understand why people don't think that hearing and smelling others food in the office right next to coworkers isn't annoying.
14/03/09 frustrated
-10
Peejay

Peejay

At my workplace, any colleague who comes up to me during my lunch break will ask first whether I'm OK to talk or whatever, I don't usually mind, only, on the one condition it doesn't take up too much of my lunch break :)
19/02/09 Peejay
0
Billabong

Billabong

I think it's incredibly rude when people don't leave the office for lunch, they just sit there eating or doing nothing while the phone rings with the attitude "I'm at lunch" no your not your in the office now do some bloody work!

If your at lunch then leave the office for a nice healthy walk and some fresh air and so you don't look lazy!
03/01/08 Billabong
-1

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