Why skipping lunch at work can hurt your health and productivity

Skipping lunch on a workday is a no-brainer for finance executive Priscilla Lee, 32.

The nature of her high-pressure, fast-paced and deadline-driven sales job means there's always something pressing at hand, so to avoid working overtime, she starts her day with a filling breakfast at around 9am and rides it straight through to late afternoon.

"I can't enjoy a meal when I know there's something more important to finish," she said.

On its face, her logic may sound melodramatic – surely few things can take priority over a basic necessity like food. However, Ms Lee's outlook is one that many office workers have been quietly adopting.

A 2025 survey, done by Censuswide for Deliveroo for Work, polled 500 white-collar workers in Singapore and found that only 32 per cent take their full lunch breaks on working days. Workload pressures were cited as the biggest barrier, although ironically, 82 per cent of respondents acknowledged that eating properly boosts productivity.

Some of these pressures stem from leaner teams due to restructuring or hiring slowdowns in recent years which have left employees stretched, as observed by Mr Raymond Low, senior engagement manager at DecodeHR.

For others, family responsibilities play a role – saving just 20 minutes can help them squeeze in school or daycare pick-ups, check on kids' homework assignments, or be present for their evening routine.

However, this growing trend raises a bigger question: Are we sliding into a lunch-break crisis without noticing?

THE REAL PRICE OF DESK DINING

Skipping or rushing through our midday meal to get a little more work done sounds like a worthy compromise. 

But lunch is more than just a few bites of food. Experts said it affects our health, stress levels and even the way we connect with colleagues.

Eating at the desk might feel like you're multitasking like a pro, but your body begs to differ. In "work mode", stomach acid and digestive enzyme production lag behind, impairing nutrient absorption – so much for efficiency.

When your attention is split between a bite and an email, the act of eating becomes more mindless. We stop paying attention to whether our portions are too big or too small. Prioritising convenience to keep our hands (and brain capacity) free for our mouse or keyboard also makes us more inclined towards foods that are fried or dry, filling our stomachs without providing lasting energy or proper nutrition.

Over time, these by-products of sidelining lunch can have real health consequences, warned Ms Soh Wan Keem, principal dietitian and founder of Nutrimaxx Consultancy. We may find ourselves struggling with digestive problems, fluctuating energy, impaired focus, weight changes and even disrupted sleep.

Used to doubling up at dinner to compensate for a missed lunch? Turns out subbing your lunchtime nutrition for a heavy night-time meal only adds new problems. 

It can strain digestion, unsettle our blood sugar and throw our body's hunger cues off balance, making us more likely to repeat the cycle of skipping meals.

Beyond the physical toll, skipping or rushing lunch can have a detrimental effect on our work. 

The act of pausing to socialise over a meal during a busy workday may seem frivolous, but these small moments matter more than they appear.

Mr Kelvin Kao, founder of social media agency Protocol, said lunch breaks provide "organic touchpoints" that help colleagues build empathy.

"A lot of things can be ironed out in informal conversations (over a meal), be it perspectives on work or challenges with clients," he said.

Mr Low from DecodeHR said that employees may choose to forgo their break to appear dedicated in offices where being visibly busy still carries weight, or because leaders work through lunch themselves.

"These subtle signals shape behaviour more than we realise," he said. "Over time, it creates a culture where taking a proper break can feel like an indulgence."

When the natural interactions that occur over shared lunches are sidelined, teams lose more than respite. Trust, collaboration and the social connections that keep workplaces resilient are quietly eroded, added Mr Low.

THE CASE FOR RECLAIMING LUNCH BREAKS

Experts said lunch breaks don't just quell the growling of our stomachs; they're investments in clearer thinking, steadier energy and better performance.

Taking a proper lunch break activates the parasympathetic "rest and digest" mode, ultimately optimising nutrient absorption, said Ms Soh from Nutrimaxx Consultancy.

"Regulated eating also promotes perceived self-efficacy," the accredited dietitian added. This correlates with better mood, while a measured pace helps stabilise glucose levels for steadier focus and productivity.

For marketing executive Keiilynn Rainn Dean, 22, stepping away from her desk for lunch is a necessary refresh for her brain. 

"I don't function well when I'm mentally drained. These (lunchtime) resets often give me better ideas when I return to my desk," said Ms Dean.

Her midday reset isn't just a trick of the mind. 

As DecodeHR's Mr Low pointed out, meaningful pauses like these improve focus, reduce stress and enhance creativity and decision-making. A quick walk after lunch, he added, is especially effective for clearing the mind and renewing focus.

Carving out space for these breaks can make employees more engaged, less prone to burnout and enable them to perform at a higher level, making it a win-win for everyone in the office.

Lunch breaks also do something email threads and desk dining can't: they make colleagues feel human.

"At lunch, we have the space to joke, laugh and bond regardless of hierarchy," said Ms Dean.

Over time, said Mr Low, these shared moments build stronger team cohesion and morale than organised activities such as team-building workshops, making them an essential investment in workplace culture. 

MAKING LUNCH BREAKS WORK

The good news? Bringing proper lunch breaks back could be easier than we think.

In Mr Kao's office, employees are used to seeing him step away from his desk to tidy the pantry or messy corners of the office – not as a chore, but as a moment to recharge.

"It's less about rules and more about creating trust and leading by example," he said.

Managers can make breaks feel natural by casually inviting teams out for lunch or encouraging smaller group catch-ups.

Mr Low from DecodeHR suggested human resource leaders reinforce this with clear "break-friendly" norms, such as no emails or calls during lunch, which works for hybrid setups too.

For remote staff, optional virtual lunch catch-ups or simple tips like turning off notifications during one's lunch hour and setting a timer can help ensure uninterrupted breaks.

Office spaces, too, make a difference. Simply including a comfy chair or two, a snack nook or a little coffee station onsite makes it less daunting for workers to step away from their desks for a short while.

But in the meantime, employees don't have to wait for office policies to reclaim lunch – they can take simple steps themselves.

Ms Soh of Nutrimaxx recommended prepping simple, balanced meals before work: wraps with colourful veggies and protein, salad boxes with nuts and quinoa, or gentle options such as tofu, spinach and fish.

Mindful eating also doesn't have to be a complicated process. Ms Soh suggested a quick one-minute check-in before digging into your food: Take three slow breaths, notice your food's aroma and temperature, and savour the first few bites. 

After eating, stepping away from your desk, even for just 90 seconds, will help with digestion.

For those hectic afternoons where everything seems to be on fire, Ms Soh suggested keeping handy a mini "rescue pack" of nutritious snacks such as rolled oats, peanut butter and blueberries, to stay powered without resorting to junk foods with unhealthy amounts of sodium or sugar.

But when more nutritious snacks are out of the question, grabbing something quick and easy may not be entirely healthy – but it's still better than powering through on an empty stomach, said Ms Soh. Long gaps between any food at all can cause fatigue, irritability and poor focus, and is also more likely to make you overeat later.

Most importantly, taking a proper lunch break isn't about being perfect, whether it's in terms of nutrition or productive efficiency. Rather, it's about building habits that will enable us to take care of ourselves in the long-term. 

Mr Low from DecodeHR said even "micro-breaks" of just a few minutes away from the desk can ease us into the habit of stepping away.

The challenge is not so much convincing people of the benefits of lunch breaks, but overcoming stubborn mindsets, he added.

"(We need to) see lunch as a boost, not lost time."