Sharing a bite with your colleagues helps more than you think

Eating at your desk while you scroll through your emails might seem productive, but there are several benefits of eating with your colleagues. Lunching with your co-workers will not only help you bond with them, but it will also boost productivity. Therefore, if you're prone to eating and working at the same time, you need to stop today.

It is a proven fact that those who lunch with their coworkers foster office friendships, earn a much-needed break and score a chance to do some casual networking.

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Here are five reasons why you should sit and eat with your colleagues.

Creates opportunities for networking

Sitting in the office cafeteria for lunch instead of your desk, offers you a chance to talk to people from other departments. Just because you belong to the content team in your company, it doesn't mean you can't have lunch with the graphic designers or the web developers. Internal networking is always a good thing. It not only keeps you updated about what's happening in other departments, but also helps build contacts that may come in handy in the future.

Makes you more productive

It is common knowledge that if you eat together, you work better together. Lunching can easily be considered as a team-building activity. When you talk about things apart from work at the lunch table, you get to know your team mates better. You understand why they behave in a certain manner and there is a sense of camaraderie. Once you know your colleagues better, you can develop a smooth working relationship with them.

It's good for your wellbeing

Imagine eating the same five meals week after week. Now, imagine sitting with your colleagues and tasting each other's food. The second option definitely sounds better, right. Lunching with your coworkers opens up healthy means of communications and can also help alleviate stress.

It helps improve communication

There is nothing more satisfying than talking about everything apart from work at work. Colleagues all over the world use their lunch time to talk about family, friends and social events. This way, coworkers get to know each other on a personal level. It is common knowledge that when you are more comfortable with a person, you communicate better with them.

It makes you happy

When you foster friendships at work with your colleagues and teammates, there is a better sense of job satisfaction. As time passes, your colleagues become your closest friends and confidantes. Also, having friends at work lessen the dread of trudging to work day after day.

Your colleagues can help you put your work woes into perspective and they give you the outlet you need to de-stress. Think about the above mentioned five reasons the next time you think about eating at your desk.

Read Also: The science of taking breaks (and how to do it right)