Text B Bad Work Habits:How to Break Them

Amanda Greene Kelly1

Stressed out？Overworked？It might surprise you to learn that your job isn't solely to blame for your office woes.Chances are,you're engaging in a few—or more!—bad work habits that could be impeding your performance or happiness.Whether you can't seem to kick your Facebook2 addiction or are sick of burning the midnight oil,read on to learn how to nix common detrimental office habits.

You constantly check your email or post updates on Facebook or Twitter3.

There's a reason(beyond procrastinating)why you can't stay away from your personal email account and social networking sites.“Social interaction is addictive because it activates the rewards center of our brains,”says David Rock,director of the Neuro Leadership Institute and author of Your Brain at Work.Connecting to people is similar to eating chocolate,he explains.“The more you do it,the more you want it—that's when it becomes distracting.”To keep yourself focused on work,Dr.Rock recommends designating times of day when you'll check these sites.That way,you'll get your fix without being sucked into the trap of constantly wanting more.Or,as Michelle Goodman,author of The Anti 9-to-5 Guide advises,treat visiting these sites as a reward.Work for,say,an hour,and then allow yourself to check in quickly as a treat.A word of warning:Think twice before you post about work matters on social networking sites.As Goodman points out,“These sites are frequently changing their privacy settings,so your page may be publicly broadcasted without you knowing it,which could land you in hot water.”

You're set in your ways.

If it ain't broke,don't fix it—right？Not always.If you're sticking with outdated procedures because“that's the way it's always been done”re-think your attitude.Though knowing the ins and outs of office processes may seem like proof of your expertise,it may actually make you seem obsolete.Especially in a shaky economy,it's integral to be open to new ideas,says Goodman.“Holding on to old systems isn't the way to be irreplaceable,”she explains.“Getting along well with everyone,contributing great ideas and doing innovative work is.”She adds that resisting change often stems from a fear of being left behind in the workforce.Instead of standing your ground,be flexible about learning from others.“Get comfortable with the fact that there's always going to be someone smarter or younger than you,”says Goodman.

You're too involved in office politics.

Happen to find yourself gathered around the water cooler frequently？While joining in an office gossip is inevitable,spending too much time dissecting workplace dynamics can harm your reputation.“If you're seen as always schmoozing or stirring the pot,you may also be seen as a troublemaker or unproductive,”says Goodman.Instead of worrying about who said what to whom when,devote that energy to work.“Like logging on to Facebook,office gossip is a distraction.If you must indulge,treat it as a reward that you'll give yourself after doing a set amount of work.”And as she notes,the more you concentrate on work,the less time you'll have for petty gossip.

You start each day with the wrong plan of attack—or none at all.

After a long day at work,the last thing you want to do is prepare for the next one.But by making a beeline for the door at quitting time,you're setting yourself up for trouble the next morning.“Without a plan,it's easy to become distracted by small tasks and coworkers'questions,”says Goodman.And that can prevent you from accomplishing the bigger stuff.“If you spend most of your day handling minor assignments,you won't have the mental resources left to give your most important duties the attention they need,”says Dr.Rock.Goodman suggests taking a few minutes the night before—or first thing the next morning as a last resort—to write down the two or three meatiest tasks you need to get done that day.“You're not likely to finish more than four,so prioritize your to-do list.”

You're always running late.

“People are most often behind schedule because they're not thinking about how long it takes to get from point A to point B,or because they leave things until the last minute,”says Dr.Rock.“And these people usually haven't noticed the impact that running late has on their performance and that of others.”By repeatedly missing deadlines or arriving after meetings start,you seem less reliable and you hinder those who depend on you.If your hour-long meetings frequently run over,Dr.Rock recommends scheduling them for 50 minutes instead of 60.Those ten extra minutes serve as padding if the conversation goes long.And if you're chronically tardy with deadlines or other appointments,Goodman advises setting computer alerts to chime a half hour before you need to be ready to keep you on the ball.If nothing else,set your clocks forward a few minutes to help you be on time.

You can't manage your personal and professional lives.

The balance between your work and your personal life varies depending on the office environment you're in.But one thing is constant:Failing to meet coworkers'or friends'and family's expectations will upset them,according to Dr.Rock.If your office culture prides itself on working around the clock,you'll raise eyebrows for taking personal calls all day long.“Set parameters,”recommends Dr.Rock.“If personal issues distract you at work,tell friends and family you'll respond to their calls and emails at,say,the beginning or end of each day.”However,if you're the only one constantly working late,consider meeting with your boss to discuss your workload,says Goodman.And if everyone is on call 24/7,think about whether or not you're in the right job.On the other hand,if your coworkers regularly get together after work,you'll stand out for turning down invitations or sending stiff emails at all hours.So consider tagging along once in a while.As Goodman puts it,“You'll get the inside scoop and bond with people,which will only help your projects as well as people's image of you.If you're not sure what to share,follow other people's lead.”If they seem happy chatting about their family drama,feel free to chime in with your own anecdotes.

You have a negative attitude.

Maintaining a chipper outlook day in and day out isn't realistic,of course.But if you find yourself griping about your job more often than not,you're setting yourself up for an endless cycle of negativity.“A negative bias can reduce the quality of your ideas and the work you produce—and can cause you to see everything as negative,even when it's not,”says Dr.Rock.In other words,a doom-and-gloom attitude will make all around you seem worse,causing your creativity to suffer.Instead of griping about work things you can't change,focus on what you can improve,and try to see everything in a positive light.That may mean keeping away from coworkers who goad you into talking smack.It may also mean seeking out positive cues,like happy people,uplifting images(try hanging a few vacation snapshots in your cubicle)or taking a break to watch a funny YouTube4 video,says Dr.Rock.The more cheerful your attitude,the less you'll find to complain about.And remember:The more you grumble,the more likely it is that people,like your superiors and your loudmouth cube-mate,will take notice—and if your boss knows you're unhappy,you could be the first one on the chopping block,says Goodman.

Notes to the Text

1.About the author:This article is taken from the Woman's Day and there is no information about the author.

2.Facebook:Founded by Mark Zuckerberg and his Harvard University classmates,Facebook is a social networking service launched in February 2004.It is now owned and operated by Facebook,Inc.

3.Twitter:Created in 2006 by Jack Dorsey,Twitter is an online social networking service and microblogging service which enables its users to send and read text-based messages of up to 140 characters,known as“ tweets”.

4.YouTube:YouTube is a video-sharing website created by three former Paypal employees in 2005.Users of the website can upload,view and share videos.

Words and Expressions

accomplish[ə'kʌmpli∫]vt. to succeed in doing something完成

addictive[ə'diktiv]adj. making unable to stop doing上瘾的

beeline['bi:,lain]n. the most direct route最短距离，直线

chime[t∫aim]v. to make ringing sounds敲出和谐的乐声，鸣，打

chipper['t∫ipə]adj. cheerful and lively爽朗的，活泼的

chronically['kronikli]adv. in a slowly developing and long lasting manner长期地，慢性地，习惯性地

concentrate['kɔnsəntreit]v. to give all attention to专心于

designate['dezigneit]v. to assign a name or title to指定，指派

detrimental[,detri'mentl]adj. harmful不利的，有害的

dissect[di'sekt,dai,sekt]v. to cut open or cut apart;(to make a mathematical analysis of)to examine(a theory,an event,etc.)in great detail切细，仔细分析；剖析

dynamic[dai'næmik]n. the force causing change or progress to动力

expertise[,ekspз:'ti:z]n. skillfulness by virtue of possessing special knowledge专门知识，专门技术

gossip['ɡɔsip]n. informal conversation,often about other people's private affairs闲话

grumble['grʌmbl]v. to complain in a low and indistinct tone抱怨，嘟囔

impede[im'pi:d]vt. to make movement,development,or progress difficult阻碍

indulge[in'dʌldʒ]v. to allow to enjoy the pleasure of迁就，纵容

integral['intiɡrəl]adj. being essential to必需的；不可或缺的

irreplaceable[,iri'pleisəbl]adj. impossible to replace不能替代的，不能调换的

meaty['mi:ti]adj. containing a lot of interesting or important material内容丰富的

nix[niks]v. to refuse禁止，拒绝

padding['pædiŋ]n. soft material which is put on something or inside it in order to make it less hard,to protect it,or to give it a different shape衬料

parameter[pə'ræmitə]n. any factor that defines a system and determines(or limits)its performance参数

prioritize[prai'ɔritaiz]v. to assign a priority to把……区分优先次序

procrastinate[prə'kræstə.neit,prə-]v. to delay延迟，耽误

quit[kwit]v. to choose to leave离开，放弃

reputation[,repju'tei∫ən]n. the state of being known or remembered for something名气，名声

resort[ri'zɔit]n. a strategy or course of action that may be adopted in a difficult situation求助

schedule['∫edju:əl]n. plan of a list of events or tasks and the times at which each one should happen or be done安排

schmooze[∫mu:z]vi. to talk casually and socially with闲谈

snapshot['snæp∫ɔt]n. an informal photograph;usually made with a small hand-held camera快照，快相

tardy['tɑ:di]adj. delayed缓慢的，迟缓的；

woe[wə]n. very great sadness or problem悲哀

Exercises

Answer the following questions based on your comprehension of Text B.

1.Are people addicted to net-surfing or social interaction？Why？

2.Why are people set in their ways？

3.According to the text,how can a person avoid holding on to old systems？

4.How can you avoid being too involved in office gossip？

5.Why is a plan important according to the text？

6.Why are some people always running late？

7.According to the text,how can a person manage the balance between work and personal life？

8.Why is a good attitude important？

9.What are some kinds of negative attitudes？

10.What is the topic of the text？