10 WORST WORK HABITS
By VIRGINIA SOLE-SMITH January 16, 2006 [ Article Excerpt]


WONDERING what's dragging down your rise up the corporate ladder? The culprit could be you - if you've picked up one of these tough-to-kick bad habits. Never fear, though - bad habits are made to be broken. We'll tell you how to quit cold turkey and get ready to watch your career zoom full speed ahead. Behold, the 10 worst work habits - and how to cure them.

You're chronically late: An addiction to your alarm's snooze button can be a sign that you need a change. "If I like what I'm doing, I'm there early," says Cary Broussard, a marketing executive and the author of "From Cinderella to CEO: How to Master 10 Lessons of Fairy Tales to Transform Your Work Life." "But there may also be legitimate constraints on your time, like a long commute or getting your child off to school in the morning." Whatever the reason, sneaking in halfway through the morning meeting won't impress the boss, especially if she's a stickler for punctuality. "I used to be at least half an hour late every morning, but when we got a new managing editor who was more strict about start times, I knew I had to fix the problem," says Melissa Walker, a 28-year-old magazine editor.

Break the habit: If circumstances are beyond your control, talk to your boss about altering your schedule - maybe she'll let you come in an hour later if you stop taking lunch. If you're just a slow starter, follow Walker's strategy: "I forced myself to stick to just one snooze button and get up in time to eat breakfast at home," she says. "Skipping the bagel and coffee line gets me to work 10 minutes sooner. My entire morning is more chill."

You sweat the small stuff: The subway is too crowded, the security guard gives you a hard time about forgetting you ID, and then you spill your coffee in the elevator - all before you even sit down at your desk. "The average person experiences 30 frustrations a day," says Anna Maravelas, an executive coach and author of "How to Reduce Workplace Conflict and Stress." "If you let every single one raise your blood pressure and stress you out, you aren't going to get much else done." And that will lead to bigger frustrations ... for instance, your boss wondering if you can actually handle your job.

Break the habit: "Focus on the downside of your attitude," says Maravelas. "Once you see how your constant bad mood is affecting your health, your family and your job performance, it's easier to keep your rage in check." Then, whenever you feel your blood boiling, repeat this mantra: "I can get mad, or I can be effective, but I have to pick one."

When you get mad, you vent - a lot: “Complaining about anything and everything has always made me feel better," says Sandra Davis, a 28-year-old book editor who asked that her real name not be used. "Once I get it out there, and get a co-worker to agree, I almost feel like I've done something to fix the situation - even though I haven't." A lot of workers think that venting is healthier than keeping their emotions bottled up, but Maravelas says that venting is really an addiction that makes you more likely to respond with anger over the slightest problem.

Break the habit: Limit your opportunities to vent. Davis found her habit curbed when her company moved to a new office. "I don't sit next to my best friend and fellow job-hater anymore, so my venting time has been cut in half," she says. "I'm getting more work done now that I have to go all the way down the hall if I want to complain." Restrict your venting sessions to lunch breaks or drinks after work. When you feel an unscheduled urge to vent, distract yourself and cool off by walking around the block instead. Then, instead of focusing on your anger, think about how you can fix the problem.