Virtual Meetings & Lunch: Productivity Hack or Bad Manners?

Virtual Meetings & Lunch: Productivity Hack or Bad Manners?

Lesson: When “Grab a Bite” Meets “You’re on Mute”

Somewhere along my calendar chaos, lunch morphed into my default Zoom accessory. Between back-to-backs and a perpetual quest to maximize every minute, I began treating noon like just another meeting slot—fork in one hand, keyboard in the other. Recently, someone asked, “Is that… normal?” It stopped me long enough to realize: I never decided it was okay; I simply drifted into it.

Insight: Productivity vs. Professional Courtesy

1. Time Efficiency Can Blur Boundaries
   Chomping through slide decks may feel productive, but it can also signal “your meeting isn’t worth my full attention.”
   
   
2. Camera Culture Matters
   In some teams, eating on-screen is as casual as wearing hoodies; in others, it’s a silent faux pas. Context is everything.
   
   
3. Presence Beats Multitask Bragging Rights
   True productivity isn’t cramming calories between agenda items; it’s giving focused attention, then stepping away to recharge properly.
   
   

Action Item: Run the Lunch Etiquette Check

1. Ask Your Team: Do colleagues mind? You may discover unspoken norms.
   
   
2. Set Boundaries: Block a genuine lunch break at least twice a week—no camera, no guilt.
   
   
3. Communicate: If you must eat on a call, give a quick heads-up and stay on mute unless speaking.
   
   

Your Turn:

Do you munch on meetings or swear by a screen-free lunch?