Yeah, my coworkers take smoke breaks together and I genuinely think I missing some important socialization because I don’t smoke
Comment on Anon discovers cigarettes
dukeofdummies@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Besides the chemical addiction part, it’s also a genuinely social one as well.
Smoking areas are designated places where strangers talk to each other. Asking for a light or offering one is a super simple way to break the ice. My dad quit cold turkey several times but he always fell back into the habit hanging with his friends
askat@programming.dev 3 weeks ago
ikidd@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
When I smoked, we had people that would just come and hang out for the break and the conversation. Go for it, it’s fine. Just don’t complain about smoking or you won’t be welcome, predictably enough.
Default_Defect@midwest.social 3 weeks ago
This is what I used to do, the smoking area outside was a nice little shaded area, i just generally stood upwind of the smokers or slightly askew to avoid the 2nd hand smoke. No one gave me shit, I was just asked occasionally if i smoked.
lennivelkant@discuss.tchncs.de 3 weeks ago
One of my colleagues will even occasionally ask me “Heading for a smoke, wanna come along?” I just love chatting with him, I’ll try to stand upwind so I don’t catch as much second-hand smoke, he gets some company too, everyone’s happy.
iAvicenna@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
take a cup of coffee or tea and go with them. There are multiple modern addictions that you can choose from.
DonnaFerentes@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Take a sparkler to hold, so you can ask for a light
askat@programming.dev 3 weeks ago
That’s actually very good advice
gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
And be around people smoking? Disgusting
Alaknar@lemm.ee 3 weeks ago
I never understood this argument.
Colleague goes for a smoke break? I go with them, just don’t smoke.
ArchRecord@lemm.ee 3 weeks ago
Smoking is also an activity that some workplaces allow you to use to justify extra breaks.
For example, it’s easier for one of my coworkers to go outside and have a smoke break without judgement than it is for me to go sit in the break room for 5-10 minutes and eat a snack if I’m tired.
chiliedogg@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
My grandfather picked up smoking in WWII because non-smoke4s didn’t get any breaks from digging trenches.
It took over 50 years, but WWII still managed to kill him.
FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Still a big reason a lot of joes start smoking. If you don’t have nicotine and alcohol issues going in, the Army is happy to issue you some.
chaogomu@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
The Air Force may have split from the army in 47, but some traditions carried over.
scathliath@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
Also, nicotine serves as a pretty fair appetite suppressant and stimulant, thus why some of us fell into the habit in early college. Easier to justify the cost of a meal a day and a smoke than it is for the supplies to make three squares a day, at least in a food desert.
Waldelfe@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
I’ve worked at a cleaning job where the smokers were allowed to go outside whenever. Some even went on a smoke break several times per hour. The nonsmokers like me on the other hand were reprimanded if we sat down and drank something outside of the scheduled break. I complained, but the boss was a smoker and just told me they need their smoke break but I don’t need coffee… One coworker whom I talked to about that even said they started smoking because of this and because the non-smokers were expected to work more and cover for the smokers on their cigarette breaks.
JennyLaFae@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 weeks ago
I had a job where breaks were working breaks unless you were a smoker. That’s when I went from only smoking socially to being a regular smoker.