Worker gets told off by a colleague for taking a walk on their lunch break, sparking a debate on etiquette

A worker (u/ta_time2walk) who would use her office lunch break to walk in the parking lot was criticized by coworkers who insisted they resume work as soon as they're done eating. Constant disapproval from colleagues made the employee doubt herself, even when the manager saw nothing wrong in it. The overtly outrageous story was shared on Reddit in August 2025.

The author confessed to having gained a little weight, mostly because her job demanded long hours at the desk, restricting her movement. "I’m not overweight, but I’m carrying a little more fat than I used to, and I can tell my cardio ability has gone down," she added. To lose that extra weight, the worker would eat in her car, followed by a brief stroll in the parking garage.

"I get a one-hour paid lunch per day. I have never gone for more than an hour, and I am back on time," she explained. Everything was fine until a coworker saw the author walking in the parking lot. He had gone to grab something from his car, and upon seeing the author, he asked what she was doing. "I told him I ate my lunch, and now I am taking a walk before my lunch break is over. He didn’t like that answer and said our lunch break is for eating, not walking, and that when I am done eating, I should go back to work," she recalled.

The colleague informed other workers about the author using her lunch break to walk, and since then, almost everyone has been talking about it. "I don’t think I was wrong. I’m entitled to my break. All my work gets done on time. I take it at about the same time every day, so it’s expected I won’t be available," they said. Next, the author explained that she carries her phone in case someone calls for an emergency, but that has never happened. Surprisingly, the author's parents also didn't support her. In fact, they said they also worked through their lunch break, and it should in no way be used for walking. "My manager doesn’t have an issue, but some people I work with do have an issue knowing I use part of it to walk," the author concluded.

Breaks are important; they not only refresh your mind but also boost overall productivity. However, research from Compass Group confirms that employees working five days a week skip one lunch break per week. They also found that 7% of workplace-based employees take no breaks at all during their working week. This points to an alarming rise in pressure, and needless preservation of 'office tradition'. Older generations cannot impose their 'work ethic' on the new-age workers simply because the circumstances and nature of work have shifted, along with their mental state and capacities. Meanwhile, the worker's post received an overwhelming response on social media, with people slamming her co-workers for their unnecessary comments. For instance, u/thetruthfairy00 commented, "Perhaps you should escalate this to HR and express how the pressure to work through your lunch break from your coworkers is making you uncomfortable. I definitely would have."

Another user who goes by u/allykatb shared, "NTA. Your workplace can actually get into a lot of legal trouble if you aren't taking your breaks. Even if someone wants to skip them and work, they have to follow the legal standards (which will vary depending on where they are). This is in addition to breaks being important for staying healthy. I started taking my full breaks when I got pregnant, and when HR (of all people) made nasty comments, I told them I was taking my legally mandated breaks as everyone should. Haven't heard any comments since."