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Kacey Toews
February 26, 2020
Newsletter Article
Bad Workplace Habits to Break Now
Do you find yourself falling in the trap of committing bad habits at work? It’s easy to get comfortable with your surroundings and co-workers and simply forget common workplace etiquette. Not only will bad habits affect you, but it can also affect your coworkers and the overall work environment itself. After surveying the AgCareers.com team, here are 5 common workplace bad habits that should be broken now.
1. Too many personal calls / leaving your cell phone ringer on
You’re in the middle of a meeting and someone’s phone goes off. Talk about a distraction! There is nothing more disrupting than constant phones ringing or dinging all day long at the office.
2. Going to work sick
It’s simple: if you are sick, keep your germs at home! You probably won’t be very productive anyway, so better to stay home and rest and not infect the office. That goes for remote workers as well; if you are simply too sick to be productive, don’t be afraid to take that day of PTO to recuperate.
3. Getting owned by daily distractions
Whether you work in an office setting or in your home, it’s easy to get distracted going about your day. Personally, something I have done to make sure I stay on task is blocking off time in my Outlook calendar. It may seem silly, but it really works! Those small reminders throughout the day keep me from jumping one place to another and on task (most of the time) and most importantly, on time to meet deadlines.
A good thing to also keep in mind is to know what distracts you. If you can’t work with noise, go to a quiet room. Or, if you work better with noise, make sure your Sirius XM or Pandora is cranked so you can be the most productive!
Another common courtesy when working in an office setting is not parking in someone’s office for a long period of time. Before taking a seat, make sure to ask if it’s a good time to chat and analyze their body language.
4. Not taking a lunch break
I am personally horrible at taking an actual lunch break. A mental break from your computer screen or project you are working on is a must if you can manage it in your schedule. Some suggestions my teammates came up with include going out to lunch or finding a nice spot outside to get some Vitamin D. Even if it’s 15-20 minutes, taking time to step away from your desk and office is going to give you more energy and leave you coming back more productive!
5. Being late to work most days
Whether caused by slow moving traffic, a long line at Starbucks, or you simply woke up late, we all know being late for work is bound to happen occasionally, but it’s not acceptable behavior every day in the workplace. Getting a late start to your day can decrease productivity and cause issues in the office if it becomes noticeable behavior. To avoid running late, set your alarm 5-10 minutes earlier, make your coffee at home, or take a different route to make sure you are getting a positive start to the workday.
