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…
Common office distractions include loud personal phone conversations, repulsive smells (like smelly feet), noisy snack crunching, visible signs of a sick colleague, fire alarm tests, printer paper jams, an intimidating roaming boss, and a mountain of unread emails — all perfect reasons to leave your desk for a breather.
If a colleague launches into a long, loud personal call and it’s impossible to focus, it’s reasonable to step away from your desk until the conversation ends — a short break can help you avoid the distraction and reset your concentration.
Yes — the article suggests running for it and taking your food with you when someone nearby creates repulsive smells, so moving to a fresher spot is a perfectly practical way to protect your comfort and focus.
Loud crunching and persistent snack noises are common office distractions; if they break your concentration, consider walking away for a short break or relocating until the disturbance passes.
The sight of a growing pile of dirty tissues and medication near a colleague is a clear sign they’re unwell — stepping away from your desk to avoid exposure is a sensible move, according to the article.
Yes — the article even calls fire alarm tests the perfect excuse to go out and grab a coffee at your nearest cafe, so using that moment for a quick break is an acceptable choice.
Absolutely — if you’re stuck waiting for a paper jam to be fixed and can’t proceed with your task, it’s a convenient reason to wander around the office or take a short break until the machine is sorted.
The article’s blunt solution to a mountain of emails is simple: walk away. Stepping away from your desk for a short reset can help you return with a clearer mind to tackle your inbox.
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