Hey, no one is perfect. We all have our little quirks and peculiarities. But it’s possible that some of your habits might be driving your coworkers crazy.
In an office, you have a group of people sharing the same space. And when you’re working in close quarters with people who have different working styles, preferences, and personalities, things can sometimes get a little irritating.
I did a search on the internet for “annoying workplace habits,” and found a lot of interesting results! Here are the items that were mentioned most often:
- Being unreasonably noisy – You don’t need to be silent. But try your best to use your “indoor voice” when having conversations with coworkers or talking on the phone. Also, if you like to listen to music at your desk, consider wearing headphones. And finally, if you’re on a conference call, mute the line when you’re not speaking. No one wants to hear you munching on snacks or typing on your keyboard! (Also, if people hear you typing, it’s clear that you’re not paying full attention to the conference call. Busted!)
- Weird smells – You might think that your air-freshener smells great. But the people around you might not agree. Try to keep your fragrances to a minimum.
- Checking your phone constantly – Just stop it, OK? I know your phone is incredibly tempting and appealing, but when you check it while someone else is talking, you’re basically telling that person, “you’re boring and unimportant.” Even if you’re sitting in an incredibly dull meeting, try to restrain yourself.
- Leaving the kitchen a mess – I actually don’t care if there are dirty mugs in the sink. But I know that it really bugs several of my coworkers. (Perhaps my standards of cleanliness are kind of low?) Well, in any case, you can avoid any conflict by simply washing out your mugs and dishes. And if your food is rotting in the fridge, throw it out. Your coworkers will appreciate it!
- Invading personal space – In many offices, space is already limited. So don’t limit it further by getting too close to your coworkers. Also, don’t touch other people’s computer screens. (I’m guilty of this one! When I get excited to point something out, I lose all control and start stabbing my finger at people’s screens. But I’m trying to do better – honest.)
Can you think of any bad habits that should be included on this list? Feel free to add them in the Comments section below!
Lynne
08/14/2023 @ 3:35 PM
Good log, as usual. I appreciate the humor too. Fragrances give headaches to many of us. Please don’t use them at the office.