We all have our own bad habits at the office. Maybe it’s grabbing unhealthy snacks, nail-biting, checking e-mail incessantly and wasting time. Maybe it’s allowing yourself to get caught up in gossiping or complaining. Whatever the habit, you know that you’d be better off without it. To break and replace our tendencies, there are five simple steps you can follow that make all the difference. The easiest way to really follow these steps is to take them in stages – this week we will take step 1 and 2, then next week we will take the remainder. Let’s get started and take Key Steps to…
Identify what’s NOT working at work
1. Identify ALL your office habits, not just the ones you perceived to be ‘bad’. Habits can be a useful comfort zone that make us feel safe but they can also keep us stuck. The problem is that our subconscious kicks in and tendencies take over – without us even thinking about them. Monitor yourself for a full week as you go through average workdays. Jot down any potential habits. Whether it’s an arbitrary ritual like always trying to park in the same place or getting a coke or coffee at the same time every day, put it on your list. The point here isn’t to change every habit and routine, but to simply identify the habits you have. You might even want to ask your colleagues for their input and support.
2. What affects you the most? By the end of this week, (I recommend you add it to your calendar now, maybe make it a task for Friday morning), identify the habit that affects you most negatively. It could be wasting time, putting physical or mental stress on your body, putting papers on your desk instead of filing them immediately to prevent filing piling up, too much caffeine, etc. Look at the short-term and long-term picture and prepare to face your worst habit head on next week and…
