Most of us are “creatures of habit,” and we have our quirks about certain things. Some have a daily routine, that, when changed, actually causes them to be in an unhappy mood (my husband!). When our habits carry over to the workplace, problems are created. Are you someone that is guilty of this? Do you know someone who has habits that create havoc for others?
Always being late is a very annoying habit. I bet you know someone who just cannot seem to get to work on time, or to any other event. If their workplace uses time clocks, it’s questionable as to how they make up their time. Many workplaces don’t have time clocks, so they feel that they can catch up at lunch or even after hours. But that isn’t fair to the workers that diligently get to work early or on time every day. This type of habit usually shows up on their work evaluation. Being late could be a passive-aggressive way of getting back at those who force you to adhere to their timetable. One sign may be that you are trying to get fired. If your interest in your job is waning, either recommit yourself or make a career change. If you adjust your actions or attitude rather than wait to get fired, you will be controlling events instead of waiting for them to control you. Another tip: never be late to a job interview.
Another habit that goes right along with being consistently tardy, is the excuse! Someone called at the last minute, traffic was congested, you had to take your child to school and left late, and most of the time, it’s someone else’ fault. Whether you are late to your job, or to lunch with friends, it is rude to be known as the one who is always late. You are taking advantage of your job, friends, or family, so think about showing them the respect they deserve.
The old saying, “never do today what you can put off until tomorrow,” fits those who constantly procrastinate. You may feel that you will do better if you work under pressure. Joseph Ferrari, PhD, a professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago, reports “procrastinators tend to be very concerned about what other people think of them. If you worry that you will never perform as well as you have in the past, fear of failure may be halting your progress.” By putting off work, you are providing a ready-made excuse. You blame your busy schedule and overbooked calendar. Dr. Ferrari explains, “that way, you can tell yourself the project would have been successful if you’d only had more time.” Think about sticking to your goals and allowing yourself more time.
We can always find habits of our co-workers that are probably worse than our own, (sure), but we have no control on how others act. If we can become self-assured and try to correct our own habits, we can prevent self-sabotaging our success and happiness. To overcome self-sabotage, you have to first identify its origin and take steps to interrupt the cycle. Good luck to all of us!
Source: Fitness Magazine