15 Bad Work Habits to Ditch in 2019 - The Muse

15 Bad Work Habits to Ditch in 2019 - The Muse15 Bad Work Habits to Ditch in 2019I used to love making big, dramatic new years resolutions. Id promise to work out every day, stop eating junk food, or finally become fluent in Spanish. But eventually, I realized that I welchesnt so great at following through on my epic promises.So these days, I try to keep my goals a little simpler. In 2019, Ive decided I want to focus on making my work life as happy and anxiety-free as it can be. So, I took an honest look at some of the less-than-desirable work habits Ive developed over the years and reflected on how they might be holding me back, stressing me out, or making my workdays harder than they need to be. This yielded a pretty robust listCheck out what schwimmbad habits Im avoiding this year, and see if youre guilty of them yourself.1. Skipping Breaks and MealsSometimes, I get so busy that I tell myself there isnt time to eat lunch or step outside for a breath of fresh air. And that simply i snt true. Unless Im on a tight deadline or in the midst of a genuine crisis, I can always find 15 minutes to spare. The key is to be intentional about it. This year, Im going start scheduling breaks on my calendar and stop ignoring my growling stomach. Read mora Take Five 51 Things to Do When You Need a Break at Work2. Letting the Sunday Scaries Get Me DownEvery Sunday afternoon around four oclock, I start thinking about Monday, stressing about what I didnt get done on Friday, and lamenting the five-day work week. But it doesnt have to be that way. Instead of telling myself that Monday is something to dread, I can change up the narrative by being a bit mora organized and giving myself something fun to look forward to at the beginning of each week- like, say, treating myself to my favorite latte. Read More 5 Ways to Shut Your Sunday Scaries Down for Good3. Winging it on MondaysIn my attempt to avoid Sunday evening anxiety and to have an all-around more productive workweek, Im going t o stop spending Monday mornings getting my bearings and start making a to-do list for myself every Friday. That way, when I get to my desk after a fun-filled weekend, I can pick up right where I left off.Read More How to Make Friday Your fruchtwein Productive Day of the Week (Well, Almost)4. Pushing Through Unproductive SpellsUsually, when I find myself in an unproductive rut, I feel guilty about elend getting enough done so I (figuratively) chain myself to my desk. In theory, Im hoping that staying put will force me to focus, but my mind just doesnt work that way. From now on, when I find myself in an unproductive spell, Im going to get up from my desk and take a walk, brew some coffee, or run a quick errand. Stepping away from the computer usually helps me to clear my head and return to my desk feeling reenergized. Read More The Guilt-Free Guide to Getting Back on Track After a Completely Unproductive Day5. Falling Behind on Expense ReportsOr filling out my time sheet. Or my TPS r eports (yeah I think I missed the memo about attaching the new coversheets). All those little administrative details can be cumbersome- but theyre still important. Plus, being chronically late drives your co-workers crazy (I would know).This change will make keeping track of receipts and billable hours easier and- more importantly- itll make me a better co-worker.Read More 12 Productive Things to Do When You Have Time to Kill Between Meetings6. Telling Myself Ill Do it TomorrowYes, this is a fancy way of saying that I want to stop procrastinating. Its easy to put off the tasks Im dreading until tomorrow- until tomorrow comes. Rather than letting those undesirable projects languish on my to-do list for days on end, Ive promised myself that Im going to knock them out as soon as possible. Read More Just Do It How to (Finally) Stop Procrastinating7. Using Way Too Many Exclamation PointsI want to seem friendly I want to make my requests sound light and breezy I dont want my contacts to t hink Im rude But I must admit, in my attempt to seem approachable, Ive developed a bit of an exclamation point addiction. I know I wont be able to quit my favorite punctuation mark entirely, but Im going to work on reining it in. Read More A Friendly Persons Guide to Using Exclamation Marks Correctly And Incorrectly8. Over-Explaining MyselfDo you find yourself writing fluffy, superfluous introductions for most of the emails you send? This year, I want to be more direct. If Im following up on a client invoice or reminding a colleague about an upcoming deadline, I dont need to explain why. Its obvious And I dont need to apologize for doing my job, either.(Ill probably still ask how your weekend was, though. Im not a monster.)Read More 5 Tips for Writing Shorter Emails That Dont Come Across as Rude or Abrupt9. Working When Im SickAt the start of my career, I had this idea that if I got sick, I needed to demonstrate my outstanding work ethic by pushing through it. Id drag my sniffly, co ntagious self to the office and force myself to work- no matter how miserable I felt. Eventually, I realized how rude it was to expose my co-workers to my nasty germs. If Im genuinely ill, I should probably spend more time sleeping and less time on my computer (or at least work from home). Hopefully I have a healthy year ahead, but if I do come down with a nasty cold, Im going to let myself rest. Read More The Email Template Thatll Make You Feel Less Guilty Asking for a Sick Day10. Avoiding Company EventsIm an introvert, but Im also pretty outgoing, so people are often surprised to learn that Ill go to great lengths to avoid unnecessary social interaction. Its not that I dont like the people I work with, its just that Id almost always rather be home. Thats not a bad thing per se, but when my kneejerk reaction is to find a way to get out of attending a team happy hour or a company party, Im probably going to miss out on some great relationship-building opportunities. I may not say ye s to every invitation, but Im going to do my best to participate more. Read More The Introverts Pain-Free Guide to Socializing With Co-workers11. Spending My Entire Paycheck on Coffee and Overpriced SaladsIn other words, its time that I start packing my lunches and making coffee at home. (Unless its Monday and I need a special treat to stave off those Sunday Scaries). I love going out to lunch, but those outings add up quickly. Read More 52 Creative (and Easy) Ideas for Lunch at Work Thatll Make Everyone Jealous12. Hating My WorkspaceWe spend way too much time at our desks not to enjoy our workspaces. And I recently realized that mine is seriously lacking. I have no photos, plants, or dcor anywhere. So, Im going to show my desk a little love. Im planning to add some greenery, an inspirational quote, and maybe a strand of miniature lights. Im also going to frame a cute picture of my dog. Seeing his cute little face staring back at me when Im hard at work will make work way more manag eable Read More 8 Cheap and Easy Ways to Make Your Workspace More Fun to Stare at All Day13. Neglecting My NetworkIve found that when Im not actively searching for a new job, I tend to go a little quiet on my network. And I certainly dont want to be the person who only reaches out when I need something.Im planning to dedicate a little more time to keeping up with my current and former colleagues, checking in just to say hello, and engaging with my contacts on LinkedIn. Getting a little social interaction never hurt anyone (even us introverts) and its essential to keep my professional relationships strong. Read More 5 Smart Ways to Stay in Touch With Your Network (That Take Less Than 3 Minutes)14. Being Too Lazy to LearnI never want to stop learning, but after Ive been in a job for a while, I tend to get a little complacent. But just because I know what Im doing doesnt mean that Ive learned everything I possibly can. Ive resolved that if I feel myself coasting, Ill seek out ways to c hallenge myself. That might mean that Ill opt to attend a workshop, take a class, or read up on the latest trends in my industry. If Im feeling bold, I may even reach out to a trusted mentor for feedback on how I could up my game. Read More What to Do When You Realize Youre No Longer Learning at Your Job15. Sticking it Out in the Wrong JobIm luckily very happy with my current jobs (Im a freelancer, so I juggle a few different gigs), but Ive promised myself that if something no longer feels right, Ill move on. I spent the first part of my career slogging through jobs that werent fulfilling, and that didnt really get me anywhere. It took some time, but now I know thats not the way to achieve my goals. So, when I realize its time to move on, I will.Read More 7 Signs You Should Leave Your Job (Sooner Rather Than Later)I know these pesky habits wont disappear overnight, but I feel excited about trying to ditch the behaviors that dampen my overall happiness. And even if I only succeed som e of the time, at least Ill be making improvements. Cheers to a successful, productive, and balanced 2019