The Joy of Blogging

Blogging makes you a better person. It holds you accountable for things you plan to do. Eating at tables makes you a better person. It also makes you better at your job.

Eating at desks may be one of the single greatest problems in modern corporate America. Since we already essentially spend 95% of our days in front of our computer screens, you'd think we'd want to get away for an hour and look at something else, even if it is just an orange-painted wall or the table of middle-aged women who lunch together everyday without fail. I used to be a desk eater. I had my reasons, including but not limited to not wanting to clock out when I would probably just be sitting by myself at a table, wanting to leave earlier in the day (which taking no lunch break allows), or simply being too lazy to walk down to the cafeteria when I have a microwave located in the corner of my department. I was reading In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan's most recent book, when he suggested to me that I eat only at tables with the caveat that "No, a desk is not a table." With little else to entertain me during the day, I decided that maybe this table eating thing would have some benefits. After all, Michael Pollan is a pretty smart guy. So Monday I went to eat in the cafeteria. Within 30 seconds, one of my long lost friends in Finance sat down with me. I learned a lot about how he was doing, didn't spill any crumbs in my keyboard, and had FUN. Now I am only on day 3, but I feel like I have an infinitesimally better understanding of my organization than I did last Friday. Also, people have started to tell me things. Secrets. And, if you knew me, you'd know that I love a good secret and consider it one of the defining features of your relationship with me if you're willing to tell me things you wouldn't tell the average Joe.

So, in conclusion, my blog has held me accountable for blogging, eating right, and making new New Year's Resolutions whenever I find something I should probably try doing to make my quality of life better. Eating at tables has, in 72 short hours, made me 37.7% better at my job and increased the quality of 5 of my office relationships. If those stats aren't good enough to convince you to try eating all of your meals at tables, check back in another 24.