You probably think we’re going to tell you all about how you should get away from your desk at mealtimes to break up the monotony of your day, or to relieve stress, or to get more activity by taking a walk… WELL, YOU’RE WRONG! This post is about how you are eating your food at one of the dirtiest, most germ-ridden areas of the office. That’s right – we’re going to tell you why eating lunch at your desk is making you sick!

Image: Courtesy of Dettol

Offices are becoming increasingly unhygienic as more and more of us are eating lunches at our desks. You can find dozens of studies and test results with a simple Google search showing just how dirty our desks can be. Your mouse and keyboard alone contain more than 3 times the levels of bacteria-related contamination than the average toilet seat. This is because of the crumbs and food residue (think greasy French fries, mayo and condiments from your fingers and that yogurt you spilled last week) that is all over your workstation making for the ideal environment for bacteria and other micro-organisms to live. Additionally, because these are electronic devices, they’re not being cleaned as regularly or as thoroughly as other parts of the office.

Don’t believe me? Take your keyboard, right now, and turn it upside down. Give it a little shake. What fell out? The crumbs are just what you can SEE. If they’re there, so is bacteria.

Our suggestion: A granola bar, a piece of fruit or other small snack is probably okay to consume whilst sitting at your desk, as long as you’ve washed your hands and taken care to clean up any spills. We recommend eating your meals like breakfasts and lunches AWAY from your desk. Not only will you reap the benefits that you THOUGHT we were going to impart at the beginning of this article, you’ll also keep your desk much cleaner, and you won’t expose yourself to the bacteria and germs that are surely lurking at your workstation.

So be honest–how often do you eat at your desk? Does your workplace have a community lunch room?