Ten reasons to sneak off from your desk
1. Loud phone conversations
Colleagues who talk loudly on personal calls can be infuriating. It can be nearly impossible to stay at your desk when they launch into one of those long-winded private conversations with their beloved about dinner tonight followed by their summer holiday plans.
2. Repulsive smells
Just as you unwrap your takeaway and look forward to a moment of peace, someone nearby inevitably slips off their shoes despite clearly suffering from smelly feet. Run for it, and take your food with you.
3. The chip muncher
That familiar rustle of the chip packet and then the loud crunching of your colleague can be one of the most distracting sounds known to any office worker.
4. Germ spreaders
The growing pile of dirty tissues just inches from your desk and boxes of tablets leaves no doubt that your colleague is sick, and that you're about to get sick, too.
5. Fire alarm tests
The perfect excuse to go out and grab a coffee at your nearest and dearest cafe.
6. Paper jam
If you're the last one to send a document to the printer and it's jammed the machine, it's hard to get any work done until it has been fixed - a perfect excuse for a wander around the office.
7. The roaming boss
Most bosses like to venture out to the office floor from time to time, making most of us extremely nervous. If you were collared for a chat last time, consider whether you could escape the pep talk by diving into the nearest office for a "bit of advice" from a colleague.
8. A mountain of emails
Email overload has only one solution: walk away.
9. Celebrations in the tea room
You might have a deadline looming, but you just spotted a magnificent cake being carried into the tea room for a colleague's birthday. Resistance is futile.
10. The sound of music
Your colleague might like a little music while they're working, but that doesn't mean you do.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Everyday office distractions that push people to leave their desk include loud personal phone conversations, repulsive smells (like smelly feet), noisy eating such as loud chip crunching, visible signs of sickness (dirty tissues and medication), fire alarm tests, printer paper jams, a roaming boss on the floor, email overload, tea‑room celebrations with cake, and a colleague playing music.
Long, loud personal phone calls—think detailed dinner or holiday planning—can make it nearly impossible to concentrate. The article suggests these conversations are a common reason to step away and find a quieter spot until the call finishes.
Yes. The piece describes situations where unpleasant smells ruin a break or lunch, advising you to ‘run for it’ and take your food with you to avoid the stench and regain your comfort and focus.
Absolutely. The article calls out the distracting rustle of chip packets and loud crunching as one of the most irritating office sounds—an easy and valid reason to take a short break away from your desk.
When you spot a growing pile of dirty tissues or boxes of tablets near a colleague, the article notes that it’s a clear sign they’re unwell and a good cue to leave your desk to avoid catching whatever bug they have.
Yes. The article highlights fire alarm tests as the ‘perfect excuse’ to head out for a coffee, and a printer paper jam as a disruptive issue that often prevents work and naturally leads to wandering around the office.
A boss making the rounds can make employees nervous; the article suggests ducking into another office for a quick chat to avoid an unwanted pep talk. Similarly, when email overload hits, the straightforward solution mentioned is to walk away and take a breather.
Yes. A tempting cake in the tea room for a birthday can lure you away despite looming deadlines, and a coworker playing music you don’t enjoy is another perfectly reasonable reason to step away and find a quieter spot.
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