c/general·Posted by u/emma_fraser·10h ago

Why do I feel guilty for taking a lunch break at my desk like I stole something?

I ate leftover rice at 12:40 with Slack still open. I felt like I was stealing time even though lunch is on the calendar like a real meeting. People walked by with bowls. I still hunched. I answered two messages between bites because the dots were moving. By 1:05 I had not tasted the rice and I felt both behind and greasy. I keep thinking rest has to be earned by being done, and I am never done. How do you actually pause for twenty minutes without turning it into a productivity trick or a confession?

Peer discussion on askDr.app. Not therapy and not a substitute for professional care.