€Never assume to malice what could be explained by stupidity.€ I'm sure this will come as no surprise - if you have co-workers you will annoy and be annoyed from time to time. Such is life. To be clear, however, most people really do not mean to irritate others, or even have a clue that their behavior is doing so.
The truth is we tend to judge others by their actions and judge ourselves by our intentions and we can all have blind spots with our own behaviors that could irritate others. Things like talking too slowly, talking too quickly or using the same phrase over and over can drive some people up the wall.
Despite some big productivity advancements of our day (mostly in technology), it seems we often forget about or ignore too many of the €little€ things that can waste our time and hinder productivity.
In my popular little book, What NOT to do at the Office€¦44 annoying, time-wasting and unproductive habits in the workplace (and how you can fix them!), I address many of the common irritations that can rob one of both time and productivity (and have an adverse affect on relationships as well).
Here are a few common annoying, time-wasting and unproductive habits from the workplace. Are you guilty?
Talking too loudly. When in an open office area (hallway, lobby, etc.) keep your voice down. Use your €library€ voice.
Leaving office equipment in need of refilling. If you have used the last of the coffee, toilet paper, copy paper, etc., then refill it.
Using €Reply All€ inappropriately when replying to an email. Rarely will using the €reply all€ feature be the proper way to respond to an email that has been sent to many. Don't make the mistake of thinking that what you have to say is so witty, insightful or important that everyone must simply be copied on it.
Leaving a callback number too quickly. It is quite annoying to have to replay a voice mail message 3 or 4 times trying to understand the callback number left. Speak the number slowly enough that the recipient can write it down on the first go-round.
Using your Blackberry during a meeting. Not only is it rude to do so, but it can also be quite distracting to others around you. In addition, since your brain is not capable of focusing on two things at one time, if you are checking email then you are not paying attention to what is being said. If you are not going to pay attention, why waste your time (and perhaps your reputation) by being there?
There are several factors that can influence one's habits and behaviors. Some of these include personality, proper training, understanding of the task/goal, age, gender and the ever fascinating- psychological aspect (the accumulation of lifetime experiences, expectations, etc.). Part of the solution is to learn to €get over€ some of the little irritations that can distract us from the bigger picture, and the other part is to address the ones that can be effectively addressed.
Kimberly Medlock is known as the common-sense productivity expert. As a Board Certified Professional Organizer, Certified Microsoft Outlook Specialist and member of the National Speakers Association, Kimberly studies, speaks, teaches and writes on personal and team productivity matters. For more information and how you can get the complete €list€ of bad habits in the workplace listed in her latest book, visit http://www.productivematters.com.
The truth is we tend to judge others by their actions and judge ourselves by our intentions and we can all have blind spots with our own behaviors that could irritate others. Things like talking too slowly, talking too quickly or using the same phrase over and over can drive some people up the wall.
Despite some big productivity advancements of our day (mostly in technology), it seems we often forget about or ignore too many of the €little€ things that can waste our time and hinder productivity.
In my popular little book, What NOT to do at the Office€¦44 annoying, time-wasting and unproductive habits in the workplace (and how you can fix them!), I address many of the common irritations that can rob one of both time and productivity (and have an adverse affect on relationships as well).
Here are a few common annoying, time-wasting and unproductive habits from the workplace. Are you guilty?
Talking too loudly. When in an open office area (hallway, lobby, etc.) keep your voice down. Use your €library€ voice.
Leaving office equipment in need of refilling. If you have used the last of the coffee, toilet paper, copy paper, etc., then refill it.
Using €Reply All€ inappropriately when replying to an email. Rarely will using the €reply all€ feature be the proper way to respond to an email that has been sent to many. Don't make the mistake of thinking that what you have to say is so witty, insightful or important that everyone must simply be copied on it.
Leaving a callback number too quickly. It is quite annoying to have to replay a voice mail message 3 or 4 times trying to understand the callback number left. Speak the number slowly enough that the recipient can write it down on the first go-round.
Using your Blackberry during a meeting. Not only is it rude to do so, but it can also be quite distracting to others around you. In addition, since your brain is not capable of focusing on two things at one time, if you are checking email then you are not paying attention to what is being said. If you are not going to pay attention, why waste your time (and perhaps your reputation) by being there?
There are several factors that can influence one's habits and behaviors. Some of these include personality, proper training, understanding of the task/goal, age, gender and the ever fascinating- psychological aspect (the accumulation of lifetime experiences, expectations, etc.). Part of the solution is to learn to €get over€ some of the little irritations that can distract us from the bigger picture, and the other part is to address the ones that can be effectively addressed.
Kimberly Medlock is known as the common-sense productivity expert. As a Board Certified Professional Organizer, Certified Microsoft Outlook Specialist and member of the National Speakers Association, Kimberly studies, speaks, teaches and writes on personal and team productivity matters. For more information and how you can get the complete €list€ of bad habits in the workplace listed in her latest book, visit http://www.productivematters.com.