As a 'non-hot-drink-drinker', is it appropriate to have a break when all of my coworkers go downstairs to grab a drink?

Question

All but one of my coworkers like hot drinks.
Teas, coffees, hot chocolates, etc.

I'm not such a great fan of hot drinks so I never bother with them.

They often have rounds of drinks, where the 'hot-drink-drinkers' go down to the cafeteria downstairs to grab a coffee/ tea etc. and they take it in turns to pay for all of the drinks. The whole process takes like 5-10 minutes and happens at least 6-7 times a day. During this time, some of my coworkers seem to be using their phones, etc. - as you would on a regular break.

During my first few months of employment, I used to walk with them downstairs but not purchase anything. This became kind of awkward and inconvenient so I began to remain at my desk when they would go grab a drink.

While they were downstairs, I felt like it was okay to have a break of my own. With not much else to do, I would take out my mobile phone and reply to messages, read the news, etc.

When my coworkers would return, I would put the phone away and resume working. I didn't use my phone at any other time.

I started doing this every time they would go grab a drink until it was noted in a recent one-to-one meeting with my manager that I was on my phone a lot. It came as a bit of a shock to me but I didn't question it and just apologised, saying I wasn't aware of this.

Does this suggest that I shouldn't have a break when my coworkers go downstairs to grab a drink? It doesn't seem very fair of them to take regular breaks throughout the day (excluding the hour we have for lunch as well) where they can (almost) do what they want, check their phones, reply to messages on a regular basis, etc. while I am at my desk and cannot. I'm hesitant to use my phone at work at all for the sole reason that I might be ridiculed for taking a break.

Nonetheless, is it even appropriate to take a break while my coworkers go downstairs to grab a hot drink?

Answer 1

Without a constant monitoring or knowledge of the break-time pattern, anyone noticing you using your mobile phone while being at your desk may assume that you're getting distracted by the phone. They may not have the idea that you're trying to avail a break and utilizing that time to check your phone for updates. It happens.

Next time your manager mentions this (or if you seem to bump into them next to the water-cooler), explain your approach for utilizing your break time and ask whether that will be a problem or not. You need to communicate the fact that the phone is not distracting you from your work while you're at your desk, rather you're using your break time to check the notifications so that you can keep your focus on the work while you're actually working.

That said, my personal advice: It's good to stretch your legs in regular intervals, also it's important to keep oneself hydrated and breath some fresh air. This helps me to avoid getting distracted and once I'm back to my desk, I can focus better. You don't need to follow your colleagues, take quick breaks, like - a trip to the water cooler, go and check the notice board for any updates, go to the library and check the newspaper, take a round of the office campus as and when you please. That way, you can also check your phone and people will not assume your phone is distracting you from your work (while at your desk).

Answer 2

Nonetheless, is it even appropriate to take a break while my coworkers go downstairs to grab a hot drink?

Take a break when you need one. Otherwise keep working.

If you want to use your phone during your break, go downstairs (or at least away from your desk) and then use your phone.

Answer 3

Jane (seductively): (Would you like to come up to my apartment) for a nightcap?
Frank: No thank you, I don't wear them.
-- Police Squad

Like poor Frank who just failed to score, I think you are missing the point. It's not about the tea, it's about the team. Teatime is a team-building exercise. They all do it together because they are a team.

Get it? Nobody cares what anyone is drinking. If you want to grab a Mountain Dew Throwback, do that. Put it in a teacup with a lid, who's to know? LOL

The point is, you are there, being part of the team, hearing their anecdotes about their kid and their dog, giving them the real scoop on some project milestone, guessing where Picard is going next, etc. Whatever. Dreary as that may be, it's team building. You want to be a team player, yes? And it will come around; most who see you listening will in turn listen.

You have found a pretense not to go (the bit about not liking hot drinks); so now find a pretense to go.

Answer 4

The "coffee break" or "coffee walk" is very common practice at my work, and a very common practice that I also, like you, do not engage in. I also prefer to check my phone on my breaks, but the perception, as others have mentioned and you have realized, is that I am distracted during work time and not on a regular break.

If you don't want to step away from your desk to take those breaks:

One method I have used, and also seen used, very effectively is to simply write "ON BREAK" on an 8.5"x11" sheet of paper and tape it in a visible location while taking an at your desk break. This lets supervisors or any nosy neighbors clearly know that you are not distracted during regular work time and that you are on a regular break, lunch break etc. This also (might) prevent coworkers from interrupting your break with work related issues.

Unsolicited advice: I would always strongly recommend to adhere to your company standards regarding break duration and frequency, regardless of what any coworkers are up to.

Answer 5

You should get the same breaks as your coworkers.

What seems to be the issue is that you are using your phone at your desk. There are a number of issues with this: it may be distracting to others that are working nearby, or it may create the impression that you are constantly socialising on your phone when you are at your desk (managers of other departments passing by may assume that if you are at your desk you should be working.)

When you want to use your phone or have a break, step away from your desk. Go down to the cafeteria and get a water or juice if you like.

As an aside, I would recommend that you join your coworkers for breaks occasionally. It will help you to build a relationship with them, which is an easier and more enjoyable way of advancing your job prospects within the company than working as hard as you can.

Answer 6

I am not sure how your work environment is structured and how you register work time, so I won't comment on this.

However I want to comment on not joining your colleagues in their coffee break. This might come off quite strange. It is often the case that if group breaks off from a task in a group they keep talking about it, and you should not miss out on that all the time. If you don't enjoy hot beverage, then use the time to drink something cold or have a sandwich.

Of cause this is not required all the time, but don't isolate from project work.

Besides that, standing up and walking (if only to a seating area or break room) is not only good to make sure you are on a break but is also healthy.

(And just as a comment: it might be not good to argue and fight when confronted with a claim, however apologies and not explaining things isn't good either. Just stating "I am having breaks at my desk while co-workers gone for coffee/smoking" would have been better.)

Answer 7

From worst to best reason for not "producing" - Smoking (Habitually), Phone, Smoking (occasionally), personal internet use, chitchat about your children in the hallway, coffee/tea, water, bathroom.

Nobody really has much time to observe anyone else in a lot of workplaces, we see what we see and it can harm you FAST. (If I see you doing it, you must always be doing it.) Coffee/Tea and other specialized drinks tend to get the OK since you can't really limit water consumption of an employee. The bathroom is sacred since more and more folks are getting digestive disorders, it would be tough to even ask someone to try to space it out.

Everything else is eating away at your employer's productivity and to be honest it's totally healthier that you do what you do but I would have to see it the same way. It is terribly unfortunate for the other workers when someone is getting extra breaks, but if you want to grab some water or other liquid it appears you have the green light for that.

You likely also have the option of doing things like stretching or just getting up and walking a long way around inside your building or something. ie: if your boss ever asked you would say "everyone seemed to be taking a quick coffee break so I wanted to get the heart pumping and blood flowing a bit aswell. They can't fault you for taking a moment to improve your health/ergonomics, if they were to fire you you would likely be in the right as taking a handful of minutes to get fresh air, move a bit, stretch, those things are all health-related so that would be your best bet if you want a quick break when they break.

The key is it has to be productive to the business, taking 5 mins to refresh yourself here and there is totally cool - after all, they too are stopping for refreshment. Just keep the phone in your desk drawer and you're good.

Answer 8

If you're taking a break. Take a break, get up from your desk and move elsewhere.

This has 2 benefits, you no longer appear just to be goofing off at your desk with your phone and more importantly it gets you up and moving.

Getting up and moving will give your posture a chance to recover, eyes a chance to adjust to different lighting and objects at different focal lengths. You circulation to your lower limbs will improve be getting up and moving.

Echoing Harpers answer you're also missing out on a bit of team building. Spending more time with your colleagues like this helps foster the team atmosphere. Most of the time the chatter will be inane, but sometime you might miss out on an off the cuff/informal discussion about a pertinent problem.

I used to be in a similar situation, the dev team would get up and gather around the coffee van whenever it appeared. I didn't drink coffee, but would go get a healthy snack and chat with my co-workers.

Answer 9

Yes, the workplace can be a bit unfair towards us (non coffee drinkers and non smokers). I am in a similar situation in my current company where most of the staff goes out to smoke at least 3-4 times a day, so I just go out with them even if I don't smoke.

Answer 10

My TL/DR; answer ... In my former workplace, a call-center, we got "mandatory" screen-free time for every work-hour 3 minutes break-time so we could re-adjust our eyes (stated in the workplace rules put down by union and company together). A lot of my coworkers were smokers who would combine their screen-free break with a "quick cigarette" - which took about 5 minutes (5th floor, 2 elevator rides down and up plus the time for smoking ) - which was obviously covered under the rules. More or less to oblige with the screen-free time I and other non-smokers would accompany a smoker (they allowed only 2 people at the same time on this break to keep the telephones busy as its a call-center). Going from this experience I suggest you start to accompany your colleagues again on their "hot drink session" - if possible bring a bottle of your favorite cold drink along or look for something suitable in the cafeteria, most places should have something cold as well - problem solved. You can use your phone and are not in plain view of your manager. If you don't like to go with your colleagues - make it obvious that you take a break like your colleagues - step away from your cubicle or whatever.

Answer 11

the number of breaks you mentioned is very excessive. People are hired to work, not to socialize, drink coffee, or go out to smoke nor to talk to their friends and family on their phones. Everyone that is cheating the company in this way should be disciplined according to the disciplinary policies of the company. During the lunch and mid morning and afternoon breaks the employee should be allowed to do whatever she or he wants as long as it doesn't interfere with the work of others and as long as they return from said break at the correct time.