Do you suffer from poor work habits that you wish to change? If so, you’re one of many.
Unfortunately, bad habits of any kind are easy to create and challenging to break. At work, bad habits do nothing except put you behind and prevent you from being your most successful.
Poor work habits can inhibit your progress in many ways. It’s difficult to build a strong team and produce results if you don’t get rid of the routines and practices that hold you back. If you find yourself constantly wondering how to do a better job at work and make yourself proud, it could be that you need to restructure your habits.
Let’s go over 3 lousy work habits you might be bringing to the workplace and how you can break the cycle.
Negativity
Unfortunately, many people dislike their jobs. It’s a way to put food on the table and pay the bills, so employees continue to stay where they aren’t content. Whether the underlying reason is your job or not, it’s important to leave your negativity at the door.
According to Psychology Today, every single thought in your brain causes a chemical release. When negative thoughts occur regularly, it physically changes your brain chemistry. This rewiring causes your mind to continue gravitating towards negative thoughts while leaving the positive ones behind. As a result, you could end up in a severe depression and dim your brain’s ability to function.
Research shows that repeated, focused mental activity can affect the brain’s capabilities and enhance its performance. When you concentrate on positive thoughts and exercises, your brain creates more cortical space to absorb new information.
So, the next time you have negative thoughts while at work, focus on the aspects you enjoy or like instead. Hyperfocusing on your dislikes will only amplify those annoyances. Do yourself a favor and shift your mindset to the aspects of your job you enjoy and feel grateful for.
Procrastination
It might be tempting to binge-watch TikTok videos or browse social media apps on your phone, but this only hurts you. You’re taking away from the productivity you could put towards your tasks and failing to meet your deadlines.
Procrastination is a plague that many employees face. It can cause you to fall behind on your tasks and perform at a slower pace than you’re used to. Additionally, the more you procrastinate, the likelier you are to experience high levels of stress and anxiety.
Avoid procrastinating on your tasks by tackling the biggest one first thing in the morning. Most people are their most productive during morning hours when it’s still quiet and there aren’t as many distractions. If you work well around this time, put your phone away and set a timer for 30 minutes. When the timer is up, take a 5 or 10-minute break, then resume where you left off.
Skipping Lunch
As the famous Snickers slogan states: you’re not you when you’re hungry. And if you skip lunch, you’re sure to feel the unpleasant effects while you’re at work.
Being hungry can cause feelings of irritation, anger, and unease. It’s important to fill your body with the nutrients it needs so you can be your best self while working. Forgoing meals can cause you to burn out and reduce your overall performance.
It’s time to prioritize your meals, especially the lunch you have while working. It’s the break you need to unwind from your to-do list and concentrate on what you need to do next. Try not to work and eat at the same time either. Your break is a reward to yourself for working hard at a steady pace. Instead, you can watch funny YouTube videos or browse that food blog you love so much.
Your Turn
Your bad work habits don’t make you a bad employee. It just means you need a change in your thinking and your routine to get back on track and succeed in the workplace. Learning how to break poor work habits is a game-changer for those who want to boost their performance as well as their productivity. What negative work habits will you break this year?