My friend Hui complained to me last week that she was not quite accustomed to the mealtime habits of her new workplace. A fortnight ago she changed her job from a large-scale, lifeless public institution to a fast-growing private corporation where most of the staff - from the board chairman down to the rookie engineers - are full of vim and vigor every day.

At first, she was excited about her new job, expecting everything she had hated in her previous, highly hierarchical office to change for the better. But now Hui is forced to eat alone during her lunch hour. Her new colleagues either bring home-cooked meals, order food separately, or go out individually to dine. Various online food-ordering and booking apps prompt them to embrace their own favorite tastes.

It seems that dietary variety is inherent in companies that boast a modern office culture.

The desolate scene has made her miss the old days when she shared lunch at the canteen in her previous workplace. Back then they would weave through the bustling midday throngs and sit around a table, accompanying their food with chatter and gossip. Sometimes they would save seats for their colleagues, and quickly get to know their fellow workers. Now she yearns for the laughter that once filled the air.

Her disappointing experience has reminded me of the trajectory of my lunchtime over the past two years. Though I remain in the media realm after switching from a newspaper to a magazine, my lunchtime dining style has undergone a complete change.

I used to share lunch with the rest of my group in a dining room filled with bursts of cheerful chortles that provided a break from the stress and pressure of our heavy schedules. It called to mind the communal living found in universities.

But in my current workplace, I must eat lunch alone as most of my colleagues prefer to watch online videos or play with smartphones in their cubicles while chowing down on takeaway dishes. They find this a more useful way to relieve work pressure than a shared lunch accompanied by jovial but pointless chatter. Though I can order almost anything I like and taste something new every day, this situation leaves me unhappy. Excessive politeness has taken the place of friendship among my colleagues.

Food delivery services have mushroomed, fueled by a so-called modern lifestyle and a booming Internet industry. The traditional sharing culture seems to be fading away from us. I don't know whether social or technological progress will help create a happier life.

On the other hand, another friend's experience has been more positive. She used to work in an upscale office building and grumble over the difficulty she had getting food for lunch in a congested central business district. A year ago, she gave birth and hopped to another company where she could work more flexible hours. This has given her more time to take care of her child and house, and now she often cooks meal at home or orders food to be delivered. However, she can also choose to share lunch with her colleagues to exchange information and keep up with the latest news in the office and beyond.

Flexible working times and convenient dining choices are also enabled by today's advanced technology. Eating alone does indeed diminish our lives, but we should adopt an upbeat tone of social progress and adjust our own lifestyle to the rhythm created by technology to ensure a sense of happiness. Ultimately, it is we who must decide what kind of life to live.

Yi Tian, a Beijing-based freelance writer