Somehow eating lunch at your desk is an easy default. In fact, somewhere around two-thirds of office workers do it. You might think that you’re showing your boss your commitment. Or that it helps you get through your work and thus out of the office quicker. But in truth, there are actually more reasons not to eat at your desk than not being stuck in your cubicle all day.

1. The ick factor. First and foremost, it’s just unhygienic. Splatters and crumbs end up in keyboards and crevices and then grow mold and bacteria that you then spread to things like your phone and the rest of the office.

2. The sneaky weight gain that occurs when you sit and mindlessly snack and catch up on tasks. If you eat at your desk, you’re probably distracted but stepping away for a 30-minute break encourages you to be more mindful, so that you’re not just consuming calories out of boredom but because you’re actually hungry. Also, you may make poorer food choices if you just grab a snack out of the vending machine and head back to your desk than if you take the time to pack a healthy lunch and eat it away from your workspace. Or have to make a choice off of an actual menu.

3. You’re sitting too much. You probably sit a lot already and too much sitting is deadly. By getting up from your desk to eat lunch, you’re already a little closer to being healthy.

4. You can actually be more productive. It may seem like you’re more productive by working while you eat, but taking a break can get your creative juices flowing by clearing your mind.

5. You can socialize or network if you grab lunch with colleagues instead of maintaining your solitary workspace.

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