I know just how easy it is to get sucked into your work. You sit down to check emails and next thing you know it’s 3 hours later and you’re frustrated because you haven’t gotten anywhere near as much work done as you’d hoped. Maybe you got caught up trying to solve a problem, or didn’t know how to answer someone’s question or got entirely side tracked on a different project -  any way you cut it, it’s easy to get annoyed and overwhelmed with work. But here’s a simple tip to overcoming this...step away from your computer and put down your cell phone. Just walk away.

Sometimes this seems like the last thing you want to do when you hit a roadblock with work. But 9 times out of 10 when something comes up, taking a quick moment for yourself, grabbing a cup of coffee or tea and walking away from your computer is the most productive thing you can do. Becoming even more frustrated, annoyed or distracted won’t get you anywhere, trust me.

This rule is one that we follow here in the LaunchSource office. Normally once a day, someone will announce a tea time and our team will get up from what they’re doing, grab a drink and head outside for a few minutes to catch up and talk about something other than work. It's nice to devote a few minutes every day to interact with your co-workers on a personal level, not just a professional one. They are the people you see every day, so why not catch up with them? In the long run, those 10 minutes spent away from our computers helps us stay focused and on task.

So here’s my advice to you. Next time you feel yourself getting frustrated with work, or annoyed by emails, get up and walk away. Give yourself a break and think about something other than work for a few minutes. It’ll help you re-focus on what’s important and get you back on track, which in the end will get you where you need to be.