8 Bad Habits You Pick up at Work ...

One of the worst bad habits you pick up at work is sitting for hours in a chair or desk that’s not adjusted for your height. If you have to hunch forward or strain to reach your keyboard or mouse, it can cause painful back problems in the long run. In addition to getting your workstation adjusted at work, make sure your computer set-up at home is also appropriate for your height so you’re comfortable and sitting tall.

Another bad work habit that I’m guilty of is squinting and straining to see my computer monitor. This is especially common amongst laptop users since the keyboard is attached so close to the monitor. It can be hard to place the laptop at an appropriate distance that’s comfortable for both your back, head and eyes. The best thing to do is to get a separate keyboard if possible, otherwise try using a desktop computer.

Crossing your legs isn’t exactly a bad work habit but it’s something we commonly see at the workplace. Crossing your legs might feel good momentarily but it’s bad for your back and you’re increasing your risk of spider and varicose veins by interfering with blood flow! Instead of crossing your legs, try crossing your ankles only and shift ankles every once in awhile.

Skipping your lunch might sound like an easy way to cut major calories but it’s not as good as it sounds! If you’re frequently in the habit of working through your lunch or skipping your lunch, it can cause you to overeat later and cause your metabolism to slow down. Eating while you’re distracted is totally unsatisfying, so why not take advantage of your well-deserved breaks?!

Sitting down for long periods of time is bad. Our bodies were made to move so when we spend extended amounts of time just sitting, it can do us more harm than good. According to an article by CBS news, the electrical activity in your legs slows down, your body effectively stops burning calories and the risk of diabetes goes up. Those are just a few of the things that can happen when we sit for prolonged periods. Take frequent breaks and stand while working when you can.

If you’re lucky enough to work at place that offers headsets instead of the traditional phone, great! If not, avoid cradling your work phone and your personal cell phone between your shoulder and ear as much as possible. Not only is this move painful, you can cause tension in your neck, pinch a nerve or give yourself a headache.

Another one of the bad work habits that we pick up is getting involved in office politics. It can be fun to get involved with office chit chat but it can be unproductive and it can make you appear like a gossip. While hearing about office gossip can be unavoidable, keep it to a minimum and focus more on work so you avoid office drama.

I think we’ve all worked with someone or a group of people who love to gripe about work. It might be fun to vent your frustrations about your workplace or boss once in awhile. But, if you start out every day with a negative attitude and engage in negative talk about work, you might find yourself in an endless cycle of negativity. Try spending time around positive, upbeat people at work and try to maintain a positive attitude.

We spend the majority of our waking hours at work so it’s not surprising that we pick up a few bad habits here and there. If you find that you have picked up some of these bad work habits, the good news is that they are totally reversible! You can change all these bad habits into good ones if you keep at it! Do you have any bad work habits?