Ask A Literary Lady

“I Was Busted Reading at Work—What Do I Do?”

IMG_3901Dear Literary Lady,
Everyone in my office eats lunch at their desk while working at their computers. Everyone except me. I usually sneak out with my sandwich and my book. Yesterday, however, some of my coworkers saw me reading instead of working while eating lunch. Now I’m embarrassed and unsure of what to do.
—J.H., Charlotte, NC
 
Dear J.H.,
When it comes to reading during your lunch hour, I think John Wayne put it best: “Never apologize and never explain—it’s a sign of weakness.”
Don’t be embarrassed or sorry that you were spotted reading while eating lunch, and don’t feel the need to justify it. You were just taking some time away from the office to recharge yourself, physically and mentally, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
If anything, you should stay strong in the face of increasing social pressure to mindlessly munch chopped salads by the light of your computer screen. The dreaded “working lunch” epidemic is taking over offices everywhere, and it takes a few brave souls such as yourself to buck the trend.
If you’re worrying about what your coworkers think of you, stop. As someone who unfortunately eats lunch at her computer every day, I can tell you the only thing your coworkers feel for you is mad respect, and a twinge of envy. I know that’s what I feel whenever I see someone distancing themselves from their keyboard to eat like a civilized person.
I can also tell you that half your coworkers are probably just online shopping and surfing the internet during lunch. They just like to look busy by being at a computer. So you’re really not missing out on anything.
But let’s forget your coworkers for a second. Ask yourself whether giving up your literary lunch routine actually accomplishes anything of value. Do you get more work done? Do you produce better work? Do you get to leave work earlier? According to dozens of scientific studies the answer is no, no, and don’t be ridiculous, nobody gets to leave work early, ever.
So my advice is to keep doing what you’re doing, and do it proudly. March out the door with your lunch and your book like it’s the most natural thing in the world. For all you know, everyone is secretly saluting you from behind their computer screens and plastic salad containers. And if your coworkers ever see you reading outside of the office again, just wave and say hi like you have nothing to be ashamed of, because you don’t.
Love and paperbacks,
Literary Lady