@dthompson I eat lunch in the car each day, even in winter, to allow me to unwind. When we have some sort of team lunch (e.g. for birthdays or new-hires), I still go out there afterward for a little bit.

When I see others on my team eating together at lunch, I know I'm missing certain conversations that allow the team to bond on a more personal level. Which is important to me, especially in a team lead role. But that bonding should also be happening throughout the day---we have a casual environment with strong interaction. Eating together can be effective, but forcing that interaction can be detrimental. And if eating together is essential for the team to develop, the there's dysfunction elsewhere that needs to be addressed.

I need to disassociate for a little bit each day.