Abstract

A plethora of extant research focuses on the positive outcomes of recovering from the workday. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been more of a focus on how employees can recover during the workday as individuals are regularly experiencing pressure from the workplace. This thesis explicitly explores the relationship between various lunch break habits (e.g., eating during one's lunch break, not eating during one's lunch break, multitasking during one's lunch break) and psychological wellbeing, physiological strain, and counterproductive work behaviors (CWB). To add to the current research, the impact of ego depletion on the relationship is also studied. A survey was conducted to test the hypothesized mediation of ego depletion on the relationship between the three different lunch break habits and psychological wellbeing, physiological strain, and CWB. The participants included 394 individuals over the age of 18 years who were employed full-time, lived in the U.S. and worked from a central place of work. Results indicated that ego depletion significantly buffered the relationship between two of the lunch breaks habits (e.g., eating during one's lunch break and not eating during one's lunch break) when it predicted psychological wellbeing, physiological strain, and CWB. However, the third lunch break habit (e.g., multitasking during one's lunch break) was not supported. Future research directions, limitations, and practical implications are included.

Thesis Completion

2022

Semester

Spring

Thesis Chair/Advisor

Jex, Steve

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Release Date

5-1-2022

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