Why eating at your desk is illegal in France

I know how easy it is to want to be as ‘productive’ as possible by quickly grabbing lunch and rushing back to your desk to continue answering emails and getting on with the days work.

I’m guilty for sure! Especially with working from home it’s easier than ever to also use your workspace as your eating space.

However studies have shown that eating lunch while at your desk working isn’t just bad for keeping your desk clean, but also effects you physically and psychologically.

If you are eating while distracted, the last thing your body wants to do is digest food. This is because your nervous system is in a low state of stress (even if you don’t realise it) and when your nervous system is in this state it is prioritising the action you are focussed on rather than digesting your food.

This means the nutrients from your food aren’t being absorbed into your body and your lunch is likely to sit on your tummy leaving you feeling bloated and lethargic.

It also means you are more likely to overeat. Both in that sitting and also later on in the day. This is because your brain doesn’t remember that you have eaten in the same way it would do if you were solely focussed on that meal, making it more likely that you will reach for a snack soon after lunch.

& over anything, taking a break in the middle of the day is going to work wonders on your clarity and focus so you can reset with a fresh mind for the remaining working hours.

It might mean eating outside, on the floor, in the park, or even creating a new corner in your home where you can separate work from meal times!

In 1894, the French government actually made it illegal to eat in the workplace for safety reasons. Ironically, covid suspended that law in 2021 to allow people to eat on their own at their desk (?!!!??🤯 no comment lol) but put the law back into place this year.

So, in a culture where being ‘too busy’ to take a lunch break is glorified, follow France & be the one to break this norm in your working environment.

Let me know if this has encouraged you to shift your lunchtime habits 👇🏼