Mamamia challenged women to take back their lunch break. Here’s what we learned.

In the beginning, it just feels right to chow down on lunch from your desk. 

It makes you feel better to believe you don't need a lunch break – because wrapping up a work day with nothing on your figurative plate feels better than taking a few minutes to eat what's actually on it.

A study from 2013 found that 3.8 million Australian workers reported they don't really take a lunch break. 

If it isn't clear, we're addicted to the glorification of being busy.

And as women, we love to do it all. It feels almost aspirational to eat a sandwich at our desks, to ignore the break room at work, to give back time to the workplace that we're actually entitled to. 

But time keeps churning on, and eventually, it doesn't matter how much we love our jobs or how much time we'd prefer to spend making sure we do it well – we're burnt out. 

That's why at Mamamia, we tell women to reclaim your time, and that starts with taking back the lunch break.

During Mamamia Out Loud For Lunch with 7-Eleven, Lifestyle editor and host of What Are You Wearing Tamara Davis, explained just how important it is to take back the time for yourself that you need. 

"I think through my 20s, I really did the hustle thing," she explained. "And I think sometimes you have to – you're kind of building yourself up. But then you step into your 30s, and you get a little bit older and wiser. You realise the world is not going to crumble without you." 

Tamara Davis, Kelly McCarren and Jessie Stephens at Mamamia Out For Lunch. Image: Supplied.

Eventually, after taking your ego out of the situation, Tamara continued by saying your colleagues, your boss and your team are going to be okay when you walk away from your desk for an hour. 

"If you put the time and effort into your people, they're gonna be okay without you. You can say no and give them the autonomy to own things," she said.

Executive Editor and podcast host of Mamamia Out Loud, Jessie Stephens, added there can be shame around "being the only one who walks from their desk for an hour."

"I had to literally tell the team to take a lunch break," Tamara responded. 

"Because at Mamamia, I think we work really hard. We're very passionate [and] when you're in a job that you enjoy and love, there's an implication that you're always going to be 'on' and available." 

Image: Supplied.

She continued, "And I think with the kind of work that we are making content all the time, or you're looking at content. And so that can be a full-time thing that can be 24 hours a day. I had to really force myself to take breaks, and then really lean into saying, 'I'm going to take the full hour'."

Understandably though, we're busy women. We're mothers, teachers, caregivers and sometimes we just don't have time to think about lunch let alone make ourselves lunch. 

That's where 7-Eleven comes in. 

Just like Mamamia, they support women in taking back the lunch break for themselves – so they make it as easy as possible. 

With delicious salads, wraps and sandwiches, it's easy to pop down to your local 7-Eleven store and pick out one of their handmade daily options to fuel your body and take back time for yourself. 

Image: Supplied.

It's the same sentiment You Beauty podcast host Kelly McCarren encourages women to embody as well: understanding you need a break without the hassle. 

"When I have girlfriends over, and I can't be bothered cooking, I just order a takeaway," she explains. "I'm letting go. It's accepting that you don't [or can't] do anymore." 

As a woman who works for herself, she also understands how difficult it can be to break up your day with a lunch break. It's why she's learning to set boundaries. 

But one thing she will always make time for is an hour to sit down – away from the work – and have a lunch break... even if it's not the way you imagined it. 

"I love a lunch break. I love it," she said. "And especially on the days [my baby] is in daycare. But I realise my routine is so weird because when he is there, I'll be sitting in the pen eating my lunch and watching television. I was eating a sandwich, surrounded by baby paraphernalia without realising that's now part of my routine."

One of the easiest things to do is to forget how important taking time for ourselves is – whether it's at work surrounded by a mountain of work you love, or at home surrounded by your kid's things.

Because whether we like it or not, the reality is its important to be away from what makes you busy, to shed the stress of a workday or a day at home with our children – even for an hour. Even for 30 minutes.

That's why taking the lunch break and taking the time, isn't just important: it's what we're entitled to and it's what we deserve.

And we hope more women take back that time for themselves.

Try the sandwich and wraps from 7-Eleven, delivered daily and packed with delicious fillings to enjoy on your lunch break.

Feature Image: Supplied.