1. Procrastinating
You may feel that you do your best work when you wait until right before the due date to complete it, but procrastination can have a negative effect on the quality of your work and the coworkers who rely on your work before they can complete their own.
Instead of procrastinating, aim to finish projects and individual tasks as soon as you can. You may consider writing a daily to-do list, organizing your calendar or asking for help adhering to deadlines when you need it.
2. Working in disorganization
Another bad work habit is being disorganized. Disorganization can lead to missed deadlines, work taking longer than expected to complete and you being unprepared for meetings. To combat disorganization, create a system that works for you. You may need to time block your calendar, use a physical filing cabinet and organize your computer files into folders, clean your cluttered desk and gather what you need for a meeting in plenty of time.
3. Not accepting feedback
Even if you’ve been in your same career for several years, there is always the opportunity to learn. Your manager, and maybe even your peers, may provide you with feedback on your work, and it’s key that you be able to accept and appreciate that feedback. If you aren’t able to, you could limit your potential for advancement opportunities.
To get used to accepting feedback, regularly seek it. With feedback from others, you can improve your work and feel more confident in your role.
4. Abusing Privileges
If your company gives you access to proprietary tools or some lenience, like allowing you to work from home on Fridays, you may find that you’ve abused these privileges. Once a manager has to address their concerns about your performance, it may be harder to redeem yourself. If you’re abusing privileges, remember to have respect for your job and the freedoms and abilities your employer has given to you, and change your habits.
5. Lying
It’s never a good idea to lie in the workplace. This bad habit can cause a manager or your coworkers to distrust you, and if your lies break company policies, your manager may decide to terminate your employment. It’s important to operate from a position of integrity so everyone you work with knows they can rely on you, which leads to positive and fulfilling professional relationships.
To eliminate your lying habit, think before you act or speak, and make sure that what you do and say is truthful. You may also think about the consequences of lying because it’s likely that the benefit you may think you get from lying isn’t worth the risk of the consequences.
6. Having a bad attitude
Consider the benefits of staying professional in the workplace, no matter how frustrating of a situation you may be in. These benefits include a positive working relationship with your coworkers, increased motivation and productivity and more job satisfaction, to name a few. Poor attitudes usually come from being stressed or being unhappy in your current role, but no matter the reason, it’s usually something you can manage and improve.
Try to identify where your bad attitude comes from so you can address it, then work to eliminate the cause. For example, if there is a part of your personal life that is causing you stress, consider taking a couple of days off work to handle it so you can come back to work refreshed. If you’re responsible for a labor-intensive project at work, ask for help and consider other relaxation techniques like deep breaths throughout the day to control the amount of stress you feel.
7. Not being a Team player
Even if you work in a more solitary role, there will likely be a time when you need to work with your coworkers to finish a project or accomplish a shared goal. Being a team player also means you recognize your coworkers for their work, help them with their tasks and have a friendly attitude.
If you aren’t a team player, you may have a hard time connecting with your coworkers and your manager may choose to bypass you for a promotion, but becoming more of a team player may come more naturally if you appreciate your coworkers’ work styles and display more positivity around the workplace.
This article was culled from Indeed.com
