What is a Bad Habit?
Let’s face it, everyone wants to think the best of themselves. So it’s safe to say that those same people that think well of themselves will say they have many good habits. But are you sure that those habits are good habits? What about any bad ones? One way to spot a bad habit is if it negatively impacts your life. This is because, as it’s defined, a bad habit is a negative behavioral pattern. And while some bad habits are manageable, having the really bad ones will be problematic. Nobody wants a bad habit to effect their daily life. Not only that but imagine it impacting your work life as well. Minimizing or even eliminating your bad habits is one of the best ways to improve your lifestyle. If you have no idea what kind of habits you have, we might be able to help you out there.
Bad Habits in Life
Bird of a Feather Flock Together
Regardless if you believe it or not, people are influenced by the people they surround themselves with. That isn’t to say its a bad thing though. You might find yourself surrounded by hiker lovers and now you picked up a hobby that also improves your mental and physical health. But it is important to be mindful of who you let into your life. Some people have some bad habits that you might pick up if you’re not careful enough. People with negative thinking who consistently bring you down whenever you’re around them are the ones to avoid. It’s sad to say but these people have developed the habit of staying in their comfort zone.
Whether it’s for school, life standards, your job or love life, many people will rather stay in their comfort zone. Staying where you’re comfortable isn’t necessarily negative or bad. But if your comfort zone is holding you back from opportunities; that’s when you need to break free. The problem is that some people will start to make excuses to avoid making the effort. These people aren’t always the most supporting or encouraging. They might even question your intentions when you do something different. So surrounding yourself with these people can influence you to do the same as them. And you will stay within your comfort zone. It’s important to be aware of who hang out with on a regular basis, both in your personal and professional life.
Tardiness Robs Us of Opportunities
We all have that one person that is habitually late to everything. And we’re not talking about the occasional traffic jam or accident. You can do everything in your power to remind them to leave at a certain time, only for it to be a waste of effort. The fact is that we usually have to accommodate our time around their lack of planning. And it can actually get annoying and tedious for some. So many people tend to avoid including this kind of people in plans that require promptness. Now imagine this occurring in a business setting.
Being consistently late makes people look bad, regardless of the reason. We hate to say it, but being late is usually associated with lack of preparation. And most business tend to avoid these qualities in any employee. Regardless of qualifications, these employees are overlooked for promotions and prospects. So don’t let a five minute late start be the reason you miss lifechanging opportunities.
Being Glued to Your Phone
It’s hard to believe that social media, or even the internet, is relatively young. The majority of people in the workforce are older than Twitter, Instagram and even Facebook. So it makes sense that one of the newer habits that people have picked up is consistently looking at their phones. The instant gratification, constant entertainment and the fear of missing out (commonly known as FOMO) are a few factors that drive this habit. But the downside to this is that many people tend to doom scroll. They look at one video, that leads to another video, that leads to another video and so on. Next thing you know you spent 2 hours scrolling and don’t even remember what you saw.
While this is one way many people decompress from their busy days, it causes more harm than good if you have other important things to do. Remember that your time is valuable. So giving your time to abstract objects like social media is a waste. It’s just not worth it. Now this isn’t to say social media doesn’t have its perks. Having a great online presences will boost any business growth and impact them positively. All were saying is don’t let social media take away more than what it can give you.
Procrastination
My favorite saying about procrastination is “Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday and avoiding today.” And, in my opinion, is it honestly an art for those who know how to deal with this habit. The amount of effort it takes to pull off a 3 week project in less 24 hours is a feat not everyone can pull off. But that’s the point, not everyone can do a decent job with a limited amount of time. So why put yourself through the stress, panic and worry of completing tasks the day before they’re do? You don’t have to start the project right away. The best advice to help with procrastination is to break down the project into manageable smaller jobs. When you receive your project, start with a outline of what needs to be done with due dates. This way you’re not overwhelmed with the project and give yourself enough time to complete everything. It also allows you to get help when you run into problems. Because the last thing you want is to run into an unresolvable roadblock the day before the due date.
Bad Habits in Business
Progression > Perfectionism
I like to think that the word “perfect” is an abstract term. This is because no matter how much we can strive to be perfect, it’s honestly an unattainable habit. No matter how much we research, prepared, practice or work, somethings will always go wrong. Furthermore, trying to determine our value as a worker off of how great we complete a task will negatively effect us in the long run. This is because many people allow their self worth to be based off outside factors. It’s good to remember that doing a great job doesn’t equal doing the perfect job. As long as you do everything to the best of your abilities, everything else will fall into place.
Gossiping and Rumors
Depending on the job, we don’t get to choose what type of environment we work in. So when you find yourself in a toxic work environment, all you can do is get through the day. The hardest part of a toxic work environment is not falling into the toxicity. Doing this will create bad blood and animosity between coworkers. Even being a bystander in it all has a negative effect on everyone as a whole. Not only does it contribute to unproductivity but it will lead to trips to HR. And not a good kind either. Good employees will leave as management struggles to keep up with the turnover. This only adds to the toxicity in the office. It’s safe to say, that this is one habit to avoid.
Being a Yes Man
Many people have the misconception that saying yes to everything is a good thing. Funny enough, having this habit is synonymous with being a pushover. But the reality is that each decision should be made based off the situation at hand. Not every opportunity is a good one and can end up causing more harm than good. Standing your ground to protect yourself, as well as your business, is a great quality to have. You never want to overwork your staff and make them feel unappreciated. So why would you want to do that to yourself? Taking care of your mental and physical health should always be a priority. Remember, saying no does not mean you’re a coward or make you any less than a great person.
Don’t Wait for an Opportunity, Create It
Is patience a virtue? Yes. But waiting for an opportunity can cost you precious time you don’t have. People tend to prioritize things they deem more important over things that are actually important. Idea proposals, new potential clients, or even better a well deserved raise are long forgotten by the time an opportunity presents itself. Sometimes you have to switch from being idle to being active to see some positive change in your life. Being assertive isn’t a bad thing. Something as small as speaking up to extend a deadline is a great starting point. Communication is key to creating opportunities. So don’t be afraid to ask for that much needed meeting or an one-on-one with your manager. You never know what you have to offer unless you put yourself out there.
Final Thoughts
Letting bad habits run your life will hold you back and hurt your business. They can create a bad work environment that discourages workers and negatively impact productivity. Here at Reborn Consultants, we love encouraging all of our clients and employees to do some self evaluation on any habits they might have. If you are struggling on where to start, we’re here to help.
