Eight Bad Work Habits — and How to Break Them
By Margaret Steen
When you’re considering goals for yourself, don’t forget to examine your work life. What changes could you make to become a more productive and pleasant colleague?
Experts offer this list of common bad habits at work — and how to break them:
Planning Poorly
Do you spend your first hour at work wondering what you should work on today? “So many people, when they leave their office at 4 to 6 p.m., really have no clue what they’re going to do first thing the following morning,” says Glenn Davis, president of the Next Step Group, which recruits sales and sales management professionals for software and other companies. It’s more efficient to plan your next day before you leave work.
Spending the Day in ‘Email Reaction Mode’
Answering every email as it comes in may make you seem responsive, but it’s not productive. “You feel like you’re being a hero because you’re dealing with all your email,” says Valerie Frederickson, CEO & founder of Valerie Frederickson & Co., an HR executive search and consulting firm. “But it has nothing to do with achieving your goals.”
Abusing Work-from-Home Privileges
Yes, you save time when you work from home by not commuting. But too many people are easily sidetracked by the laundry, their kids or a quick errand. “People like to say, ‘I get so much more done'” working from home, Davis says. And some do — but not everyone. If you work from home, make sure you’re putting in a full day’s work — and that you’re accessible to your colleagues during the workday.
Putting Personal Life Before Work
Everyone has emergencies from time to time. But it’s annoying to have to fill in for the colleague who is late every morning because he’s checking on his home-remodeling project, or who misses an entire afternoon because he scheduled a routine dentist appointment for 1:30 p.m.
Being Late for Meetings
People who show up 5 or 10 minutes late for a meeting cause a “domino effect,” Davis says. Meetings later that day may be thrown off schedule because the earlier ones ran late. And people who show up on time feel their time is being wasted.
Not Taking Care of Health and Hygiene
Leslie G. Griffen, an HR consultant and career coach, is often hired by companies to approach an employee who doesn’t bathe and ask him to improve his hygiene. The problem is twofold, says Griffen, principal of The Griffen Group. A sloppy appearance will cause a poor first impression. Also, “if your hygiene is bad, your health is probably bad,” Griffen says. An added benefit of eating well and exercising: You’ll have more energy.
Using Inappropriate Humor
Your coworkers may not appreciate your sense of humor. Skip the off-color or racially targeted jokes, Griffen says. And be careful about sensitive subjects such as politics and religion.
Not Caring About Your Work
People like coworkers who are enthusiastic about what they do. Show that you take pride in your job by presenting yourself well, communicating clearly and doing your best work.
