Stressed out? Overworked? It
might surprise you to learn that your job isn't solely to blame for your
office woes. Chances are, you're engaging in a few—or more!—bad work
habits that could be impeding your performance or happiness. Whether you
can't seem to kick your Facebook addiction or are sick of burning the
midnight oil, read on to learn how to nix nine common detrimental office
habits.
You constantly check your email or post updates on Facebook or Twitter.
There's a reason (beyond
procrastinating) why you can't stay away from your personal email
account and social networking sites. "Social interaction is addictive
because it activates the rewards center of our brains," says David Rock
DProf, director of the NeuroLeadership Institute and author of Your Brain at Work.
Connecting to people is similar to eating chocolate, he explains. "The
more you do it, the more you want it—that's when it becomes
distracting." To keep yourself focused on work, Dr. Rock recommends
designating times of day when you'll check these sites. That way, you'll
get your fix without being sucked into the trap of constantly wanting
more. Or, as Michelle Goodman, author of The Anti 9-to-5 Guide advises, treat visiting these sites as a reward. Work for, say, an hour, and then allow yourself to check in quickly as a treat. A
word of warning: Think twice before you post about work matters on
social networking sites. As Goodman points out, "these sites are
frequently changing their privacy settings, so your page may be publicly
broadcasted without you knowing it, which could land you in hot water."
You write—and send—work emails too hastily.
"Misread emails create unnecessary anxiety," says Dr. Rock. A
slapdash message may come across as confusing, or worse, offensive, to
the person on the receiving end—and it may cast you in a bad light.
There's a huge benefit to pausing after you write an email but before
you press send. "If you feel uncertain about your message, save it as a
draft and come back to it later," suggests Dr. Rock. Not only will this
give you time to work off anger that may have provoked you to write
things you didn't mean, but it may also allow you to add helpful
information to the email, which can make you come across as capable and
thoughtful. And if you struggle with an email about a sensitive topic,
keep Dr. Rock's rule in mind: "Anything that's likely to generate strong
emotion should be a phone or face-to-face conversation."
You're set in your ways.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it—right? Not always. If you're
sticking with outdated procedures because "that's the way it's always
been done," re-think your attitude. Though knowing the ins and outs of
office processes may seem like proof of your expertise, it may actually
make you seem obsolete. Especially in a shaky economy, it's integral to
be open to new ideas, says Goodman. "Holding on to old systems isn't the
way to be irreplaceable," she explains. "Getting along well with
everyone, contributing great ideas and doing innovative work is." She
adds that resisting change often stems from a fear of being left behind
in the workforce. Instead of standing your ground, be flexible about
learning from others. "Get comfortable with the fact that there's always
going to be someone smarter or younger than you," says Goodman.
You're too involved in office politics.
Happen to find yourself gathered around the water cooler
frequently? While joining in on office gossip is inevitable, spending
too much time dissecting workplace dynamics can harm your reputation.
"If you're seen as always schmoozing or stirring the pot, you may also
be seen as a troublemaker or unproductive," says Goodman. Instead of
worrying about who said what to whom when, devote that energy to work.
"Like logging on to Facebook, office gossip is a distraction. If you
must indulge, treat it as a reward that you'll give yourself after doing
a set amount of work." And as she notes, the more you concentrate on
work, the less time you'll have for petty gossip.
You start each day with the wrong plan of attack—or none at all.
After a long day at work, the last thing you want to do is prepare
for the next one. But by making a beeline for the door at quitting time,
you're setting yourself up for trouble the next morning. "Without a
plan, it's easy to become distracted by small tasks and coworkers'
questions," says Goodman. And that can prevent you from accomplishing
the bigger stuff. "If you spend most of your day handling minor
assignments, you won't have the mental resources left to give your most
important duties the attention they need," says Dr. Rock. Goodman
suggests taking a few minutes the night before—or first thing the next
morning as a last resort—to write down the two or three meatiest tasks
you need to get done that day. "You're not likely to finish more than
four, so prioritize your to-do list."
You're always running late.
"People are most often behind schedule because they're not thinking
about how long it takes to get from point A to point B, or because they
leave things until the last minute," says Dr. Rock. "And these people
usually haven't noticed the impact that running late has on their
performance and that of others." By repeatedly missing deadlines or
arriving after meetings start, you seem less reliable and you hinder
those who depend on you. If your hour-long meetings frequently run over,
Dr. Rock recommends scheduling them for 50 minutes instead of 60. Those
ten extra minutes serve as padding if the conversation goes long. And
if you're chronically tardy with deadlines or other appointments,
Goodman advises setting computer alerts to chime a half hour before you
need to be ready to keep you on the ball. If nothing else, set your
clocks forward a few minutes to help you be on time.
You can't manage your personal and professional lives.
The balance between your work and your personal life varies
depending on the office environment you're in. But one thing is
constant: Failing to meet coworkers' or friends' and family's
expectations will upset them, according to Dr. Rock. If your office
culture prides itself on working around the clock, you'll raise eyebrows
for taking personal calls all day long. "Set parameters," recommends
Dr. Rock. "If personal issues distract you at work, tell friends and
family you'll respond to their calls and emails at, say, the beginning
or end of each day." However, if you're the only one constantly working
late, consider meeting with your boss to discuss your workload, says
Goodman. And if everyone is on call 24/7, think about whether
or not you're in the right job. On the other hand, if your coworkers
regularly get together after work, you'll stand out for turning down
invitations or sending stiff emails at all hours. So consider tagging
along
once in a while. As Goodman puts it, "You'll get the inside scoop and
bond with people, which will only help your projects as well as people's
image of you. If you're not sure what to share, follow other people's
lead." If they seem happy chatting about their family drama, feel free
to chime in with your own anecdotes.
You don't take a lunch break.
Powering straight through lunch may seem like a noble endeavor, not
to mention a great way to get ahead on your to-do list. But by refusing
to take a break, you're actually doing yourself more harm than good.
Not only is sitting all day linked to a host of health issues, like a
greater risk of dying from heart disease, according to a 2010 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,
but stepping away from the screen will also revive you, allowing you to
view your work with a fresh perspective, says Goodman. Daunting tasks
you dreaded earlier can seem more doable after taking a break. Even a
short walk around the block will give you a much-needed boost. "Doing so
is extremely rewarding to the brain and resets our ability to think
straight," says Dr. Rock. Besides, you can't deliver
the best results with a sandwich in one hand and your computer mouse in
the other. You'll be more productive once you fully devote your
attention to work.
You have a negative attitude.
Maintaining a chipper outlook day in and day out isn't realistic,
of course. But if you find yourself griping about your job more often
than not, you're setting yourself up for an endless cycle of negativity.
"A negative bias can reduce the quality of your ideas and the work you
produce—and can cause you to see everything as negative, even when it's
not," says Dr. Rock. In other words, a doom-and-gloom attitude will make
all around you seem worse, causing your creativity to suffer. Instead
of griping about work things you can't change, focus on what you can
improve, and try to see everything in a positive light. That may mean
keeping away from coworkers who goad you into talking smack. It may also
mean seeking out positive cues, like happy people, uplifting images
(try hanging a few vacation snapshots in your cubicle) or taking a break
to watch a funny YouTube video, says Dr. Rock. The more cheerful your
attitude, the less you'll find to complain
about. And remember: The more you grumble, the more likely it is that
people, like your superiors and your loudmouth cube-mate, will take
notice—and if your boss knows you're unhappy, you could be the first one
on the chopping block, says Goodman.
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