Procrastination. “This habit can seriously hurt you in a work setting. If you’re one of those folks who believes that you do your best work at the last minute and put off projects or assignments until the day (or hour) before they’re due, you may not be aware of the impact your habit is having on your co-workers. If your last-minute rush requires others to work quickly, you will likely anger them, and you’ll be the first one blamed when a project fails or isn’t completed on time.
Lying. Misrepresenting your credentials or intentionally plagiarizing, lying on time sheets or billable hours, misusing expense accounts or abusing company credit cards, stealing the kudos for a co-workers’ accomplishments, or otherwise robbing your employers blind can all cost you your job.
Negativity. So many of us habitually gossip, whine or complain. But do any of these too often and your job could be on the line. Negative employees are often referred to as ‘cancer’ by upper management for good reason: they will eventually be cut out.” A good approach if you have a complaint is to speak with your manager directly, in private. Never drum up your co-workers for support first.
Social media addiction. Another common path to job loss is the habitual obsession that many employees have with social media. Some companies have taken measures to monitor or limit their employees’ social media use, while others have blocked these sites completely. So beware: spending too much time on social media or other websites not related to your work can cost you your job.
Speaking without thinking. If you’ve got ‘foot-in-mouth’ syndrome, you must control it in the workplace. Saying something inappropriate in a meeting or an e-mail can be detrimental to your career.
Temper tantrums. If you lose your temper, it is assumed that you cannot work well under pressure or handle responsibilities well. Practice stress reduction techniques like mediation or deep breathing exercises, and never bring personal problems to work.
Staff Writer
This article was written and edited by a staff writer.
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