Last week we took steps together to identify our ‘bad’ office habits. What did you notice? What is the most important habit you are replacing this week?
You might be surprised to notice how much you have already done to replace it. Choose the habit you are replacing and let’s complete the remainder of this simple five step process and…
Embrace ‘Good’ Habits
3. Stop it dead in its tracks. Sometimes it is as simple as recognising it, next time you find yourself carrying out the habit, say to yourself, “Stop!” If you have the luxury of yelling it aloud, do it. If you’re in a public office, say it in your head (rather than risk looking crazy :)). It can also help to create a physical or graphical reminder that represents the negative outcome of the habit – like the way wasting time keeps you stuck late at the office and you miss valuable time with your loved ones. Next time you allow yourself to be constantly interrupted by emails, you’ll at least think twice and prioritise what’s really urgent and important.
4. Replace your bad habit with something good for you. Because office life is conducive to repetition, the same routine that created your habit might help you replace it with something useful. Instead of reaching for a coffee or chocolate, or rather than participating in gossip and complaints, do something that’s good for you (take reaching for water or saying something you are grateful for) another example could be every time you receive a new email, instead of dropping what you’re working on, take a deep breath and clear your mind. Another positive work ritual, one that helps reduce eye strain, is practicing the 20/20/20 rule. For every 20 minutes of staring at a computer screen or document, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. From breathing to stretching to resting your eyes, there are a million positive things you can do while at work.
5. Hang in there! Some habits are deeply embedded, so don’t expect to replace them overnight. Focus on being vigilantly and persistent. Most habits can be broken in 21 days. Habits can be powerful, so why not have them work for you rather than against you? Master the art of habit replacement, see yourself doing the new habit over and over again and now watch your work experience improve as you take key steps to…
