Life isn’t perfect, and projects don’t always go as planned. When you find yourself stuck, frustrated, or tired of unexpected battles, it can be hard to push forward.

At Reynolds and Reynolds, when you run into frustrations, you’ll have your team or a mentor for motivation. Until then, we have a few tips to help you stay focused on the end result:

1. Compromise

If you’re working with another person on a project, you may not have the exact same styles of leading/working. Some may prefer to work only in the final hour while others want to complete projects ahead of a deadline. Even when there are disagreements, always work to find a middle ground. Your coworkers can stand between you and success or failure, so always put your work relationships first.

2. Don’t Go With Your First Instinct

When things get frustrating, take a moment to step back and think of possible solutions to your problem. Trust me, throwing your project out the window is not the best solution. Challenge yourself to think of three different ways to conquer a project, and pick the one that benefits you the most in the long term.

3. Take a Break

If you are struggling to find a creative solution to a problem, or you’re too frustrated to make a plan of action, take a break. Go for a short walk, work on another assignment, or ask a coworker for their opinion. Your best work will come from a clear mind.

4. Ask for Advice

Chances are, you aren’t the first person to be frustrated by your problem. Ask for advice from someone who has been in your shoes. This could be someone who has done a project similar to yours, or worked with a frustrating individual. Anyone that was able to rise above their situation would probably have good advice. Oftentimes, your mentor at work will have been in your shoes and can help guide you.

5. Eat a Healthy Snack

It is easy to find comfort in food. Many people will begin eating junk food when they are stressed. To counter this, have a healthy snack ready instead of buying a candy bar from the convenience area. You can take the edge off of your sweet tooth with fruits, or you can snack on almonds or trail mix. Curbing anger caused by hunger and putting yourself in a more calm state can help you solve the problem, and get back to completing your projects.

Everyone occasionally gets frustrated from difficult responsibilities. Focus on what you can do instead of what you can’t do, and you’ll be out of your mess in no time.