Here's Why You Should Stop Eating Lunch At Your Desk Every Day

Executive coach Beth Weissenberger, cofounder of the Handel Group, says that getting lunch or a coffee with a coworker, especially one you don't know very well, is not only a pleasant way to spend your break, but it's smart office politics.

You might as well get rid of any stigma you attach to office politics. To get ahead, you have to play the game.

Think of it as the process of building relationships within your company - not through the use of deceit or manipulation, but by making connections.

"When you're politicking in the office, you're creating your reputation," Weissenberger says. "You're handling your own PR."

And one of the easiest ways to do this is dedicating a half hour or so of your day to getting to know a coworker over a sandwich or latte.

She recommends building relationships with people both above and below you in your company. By connecting with your superiors, Weissenberger says, you're gaining allies who may vouch for you when a promotion opportunity comes up, and by connecting with those below you, you're establishing yourself as a leader.

Grabbing lunch with a coworker is an important step in Business Insider's 21-day program for radical self-improvement, #BIBetter, which you can check out here.