4 Common (But Bad) Workplace Habits To Break in 2019
It’s the start of a new year and you’re starting to get back into the swing of things at work. You’ve set your goals for the year and you feel confident you’ll stick to them (okay, let’s be honest, most of them). And so far things are going well: you’ve taken up weight training class at your local gym, you’ve downloaded a meditation app to help you stress less, and you’ve switched your early morning mochachino for a matcha latte. So this could be your best year yet, right? Well, not quite. There might be a few workplace habits which could be getting in the way of your health and wellness. Unlike stress, caffeine, poor time management or inadequate sleep, these habits may not seem obviously bad for you. In fact, you might not be aware of them most of the time. They’re the harmless, mindless kind of things which become part of your workplace routine. It might be difficult to catch yourself doing them but having an aware of these habits will help improve your physical and mental health.
Here are four workplace habits to avoid next time you’re in the office:
Sitting is the new smoking
Okay, this is obviously an exaggeration. But extended periods of sitting can have adverse effects on your body. According to medical studies conducted over the last 15 years, prolonged sitting could have links with diabetes, heart disease, cancer and depression. While other studies have made a distinction between different types of sitting which could be more or less harmful to the body, the underlying problem behind all the studies is a lack of physical activity. So next time you’re at work, try to take brief walking or stretching breaks between the time spent at your desk. Recommend standing desks to your supervisor if your workplace doesn’t any. And above all, exercise as regularly as possible. Your body will thank you for it one day!
Desktop dining
When you’re overwhelmed with deadlines and tasks, eating lunch at your desk can seem like an ideal way to kill two birds with one stone. In 2016, The New York Times Magazine reported that 62% of professionals in America eat lunch at their desk, with many resorting to snacking instead of having a full meal. This has led to a higher consumption of calories as people preferred to keep snacks near their desks from which they can nibble throughout the day. With our lives becoming more sedentary, it’s important to take an active approach to lunch, even if it means you have to socialise more with your colleagues, or embark on a small trip to get your food. The benefits of a lunch break are a clearer mind and better productivity. It’s vital to take those small moments during the day for yourself.
Taking on too many responsibilities
We all know the new year motivates us to set new goals and expectations for ourselves. This could mean speaking up more at work, taking initiative, or asking for more responsibilities to distinguish ourselves from our peers. There are many positives to stepping up to the plate and commanding more authority as a person and leader. Carter Cast, a clinical professor and innovation and entrepreneurship at Kellogg School, advises against taking on too many tasks as it could lead to a failure to deliver targets, early burnout and an inability to be clear about boundaries. Instead of falling into a responsibility trap, Cast recommends understanding the nature of your work, setting clear objectives, learning how to say no, and being open to delegating responsibility amongst your colleagues. It might feel like you’re slacking but you’re being honest and clear about your ambitions and limitations.
Lingering social media breaks
Even if you’ve avoided all of the bad habits above, there’s one pesky routine which has become the norm (or for some, an addictive norm) in our everyday lives: mindless social media browsing. We all take once in a while. And seeing how much of a role social media now plays in the workplace, it isn’t unreasonable for employees to have the occasional glance at their Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram (it might even be part of your job description). The problem arises when you spend too much time scrolling through your phone instead of being present in the moment. This might sound like a cheesy self-help mantra, but our addiction to checking our phones for social media updates is not only making us less productive in the workplace, but it’s alienating us from the real world.