Britain doesn’t have a productivity problem. We have a productivity mystery. The financial crisis was 17 years ago but still output per hour remains stagnant. The UK economy is predicted to grow at a slower rate than previously expected from next year, according to a November forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility. It lowered its growth estimates to 1.4 per cent in 2026 and 1.5 per cent for the following four years. If they’re right, it could leave a huge hole in the public purse. No wonder economists and politicians are scratching their heads.
But there might be a straightforward solution to Britain’s productivity problem: more workers need to opt for a late lunch. For 15 years I’ve taken lunch at 3.30 p.m. I’m here to say that you should do the same, for yourself and your country.
With a few hours’ extra hunger in me, even a meal deal oozes flavour
First, consider what’s wrong with lunch as it is. The biggest lie in the world isn’t when a man says: ‘No, honey, your bum doesn’t look big in that.’ Or when a woman yawns: ‘I’d love to, darling, but I’m tired tonight.’ These have nothing on: ‘I had a productive afternoon.’ No, you didn’t. And lunch, that great momentum stopper, is to blame. It’s why the Spanish dispense with the sham of ‘work’ after lunch and go to sleep instead. The British, being snobs, can’t bear the indignity of a nap. We prefer to sit at our desks and apply what little energy we have left to staying awake and surfing Skyscanner.
The tiredness gets worse as our lunch orders bloat. Cheese sandwiches, crisps and apples are out. Rice bowls, bento boxes and Deliveroos are in. I’m currently at my desk, opposite Nick. At least I think it’s Nick: I can’t be sure since his face has disappeared into a Domino’s pizza box. The clock above his buried head reads 12.48 p.m. This afternoon Nick’s less likely to get work done than he is to develop gout.
But between British conceit and Spanish idleness, there’s a third way. Since we’re more productive before lunch, it logically follows that we should delay it for as long as possible. Most of us stop to eat between 12 and 1.30 p.m. Blunder. The focus and flow we’ve built up in the last three to four hours comes crashing down. But by extending the pre-lunch part of the day, productivity remains higher for longer.
When you work through everyone else’s lunch hour, there’s another bonus: you’re rewarded with fewer interruptions. If your colleagues’ hands are occupied with falafel wraps, they can’t be typing you Slack messages. A ‘working lunch’ gives you an opportunity to get your best stuff done. It’s my favourite time of day, and I still have my actual lunch to look forward to.
When I get round to it three hours later, there are other benefits. At 3.30 p.m., I’m not part of the stampede out of the office or the queue in the shop. It’s like when they call you for boarding at the airport. You could join the rush to the gate, but for what? The privilege of standing in line for 20 minutes. Better to stay seated and then stroll on to the plane after everyone else. Likewise, a later lunch is a more civilised experience. And a tastier one. Come mid-afternoon, I’m ready to eat. With a few hours’ extra hunger in me, even a meal deal oozes flavour.
It’s also healthier. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was an early adopter of ‘intermittent fasting’. Hollywood loves this eating trend, with Hugh Jackman, Chris Hemsworth and J-Lo among those lunching late; albeit these stars are motivated less by increasing productivity than by losing weight. It’s working better on Hemsworth’s body than mine, but any healthy side-effects bolster the economic case: less tubby workers are more productive workers.
‘But I can’t have lunch at half three,’ I hear you object. ‘I couldn’t hang on till then.’ I was the same once. But new habits form fast. Try taking lunch late for a week. What’s torture on Monday will be easier by Friday. After a month, you’ll enjoy the challenge of it. Waiting until 3.30 p.m. is now a dawdle, and I’m a tall man with a big appetite. If I can do it, anyone can.
I’m not saying ‘lunch is for wimps’. Is there anything more tedious than office machismo? But there’s a satisfaction that comes from a productive day’s work. If you’d like more of them, give this little idea a go. Together we’ll solve the mystery by lunchtime.
