9 Work Habits to Ditch in 2020 - Walrath Recruiting, Inc.

9 Work Habits to Ditch in 2020 - Walrath Recruiting, Inc. How can you be a better employee, colleague, and most importantly more productive and effective with your work? By breaking bad habits. Here are 9 work habits you should ditch in 2020. 1. Apologizing Too Much Apologizing when something is your fault, is admired. However, continuously apologizing for reasons that you dont need to be sorry for is a bad habit you should break. If youve made a mistake, take ownership and fix it for the future, but only apologize when its necessary. Avoid apologizing for doing your job, for asking others to do theirs, and anytime in between when an apology is not needed. 2. Pushing Yourself When You Need to Recharge When we feel ourselves getting burned out or being unproductive, we try to avoid that feeling and push ourselves to get through it. However, it’s often our body’s way of saying *I need a break*. The fix? Switch to a mindless task, use the bathroom to give yourself a break, or write some notes to help recharge your thoughts. Trying to push through a burn out stage can hurt you more than it can help you. Take the break you need, and revisit. 3. Being Negative/Complaining This one should be at the top of your list of bad work habits to ditch. One of the most vital habits you should try to avoid in this new decade â€" is complaining. There is nothing productive about it, it does not help or positively impact the people you are complaining to, and it most definitely does not solve any of your problems. It brings down your mood and restricts you from seeing the positives. If it’s something you can control â€" change it. If it’s something you can’t â€" accept it. 4. Going to Work When Youre Sick Trying to prove that you have a great work ethic when you’re sick will not win you any points, and will also not help you get better, faster. What should you do in this situation? Take the day that you need to get better. Don’t work (if possible), sleep, rest, and take care of your body. Work on getting better so you can come back to work healthy and able to efficiently do your job. Not only will your coworkers be happy you did, but you’ll be much more efficient saving time to rest. 5. Skipping Company Events We’re not implying that you should have to go to each event that your company hosts, however, if you find yourself frequently saying no, or simply just skipping events â€" youre missing out on chances to get to know the people you work with on a deeper level. These events offer the opportunity to further develop relationships, which can help in various ways in the workplace. Whether it’s creating a relationship with your boss or manager or furthering a relationship with a colleague, work becomes easier, less daunting, and more flexible when you’ve built relationships. So next time you’re invited to a work event, think twice before saying no. 6. Going Into Monday Without a Plan One of the most efficient ways to not only be productive but to also avoid a stressful start to your week is being prepared for Monday. If youre going into a new work week with no plan, youre going to add stress and probably more work to your day. Which can be easily avoided with some prepping. At the end of each workweek, especially Friday before you leave for the day â€" organize your day on Monday. In doing this, you’re able to come to work with a clear plan of action â€" leaving you feeling in control and able to tackle your workload. 7. Sitting All Day This one may not be entirely avoidable if you have a desk job, however, there are things that you can do to prevent sitting all day. For example, stand when you make/receive phone calls. You should also take the time to stand during your lunch break as well. Sitting all day can make you feel unmotivated, sluggish and even increase negative health effects down the road. Be conscious of this and try to determine periods of your day where you can avoid being seated. 8. Comparing Yourself   This one can relate to many different scenarios, but comparing yourself can have various negative effects. Whether it be to an employee that may be very successful in their position, comparing your job to someone elses in a different department, or even comparing your level of work completion (maybe they do a lot less). But comparing only takes away focus on yourself, your growth and your success. 9. Disliking Your Space  This one may come to you as a surprise. If youre going to work daily at your desk and are truly unmotivated or dislike your workspace change it! Youll be surprised how improving and sprucing up your workspace can help you feel more motivated, and be more productive. What are the bad work habits your kicking in 2020? LATEST READS FROM WALRATH RECRUITING: Link Roundup: How to Fight Climate Change at Work How to Answer, “Do You Have Any Questions for Me?” 10 Tips to Ensure Employees Love the Workplace