10 Negative Habits to Get Over at Work

CA-hurdle 1Ah, the stress we sometimes create for ourselves at work. Maybe it’s time to get over some things. Which of the following would be of most help to you to get over?

Overthinking/Over-analyzing: this is more of a challenge for analytical personalities, but we all can fall into a trap of overthinking or over-analyzing  a situation to the point of mental paralysis. Consider these thoughts that invade our minds:

  • What did she mean by that?
  • I wonder if my mistake on that task is going to cost me my job?
  • He seems subdued. Did I offend him?
  • I need more information just to be sure I’m doing the right thing.

Oversharing: there’s nothing wrong with sharing who you are and being reasonably transparent. But there’s a balance that is hard to achieve. For example, like it or not, what you share on social media will help form your digital personality and can affect your professional life. Also, being too willing to share your opinion can alienate colleagues, if you don’t share graciously.  Being verbose in your emails and voice mails can cause people to not want to read, or listen to, them at all.

Overdoing: we love to feel indispensable, sometimes to the point of overextending ourselves and making too many commitments. Are you serving on too many committees? Are you volunteering to cover for a coworker a little too much? Are you staying too late and working weekends so people think you are dedicated?

Overcompensating: if you make a mistake, do you go overboard by repeatedly apologizing and going far beyond reasonable steps to repair the issue?  Or conversely, do you try too hard to find excuses instead of just fixing it and moving on?  An over-compensater will try so hard to make up for a mistake or shortcoming that they end up drawing more attention to it.

Overconfidence: confidence is valuable, but overconfidence is a detriment. Do you come across as arrogant? (For more on having a balance between confidence and humility, see this great post: Humility Matters.)

Being Overcautious: this is for the person who is too nervous to step out and try a new way of doing things and prefers to stay very set in their ways. Their fear keeps them from learning a new skill or working with new folks in another department. Are you missing out because of caution?

Being Overbearing: do people wish you weren’t on that work team because you insist on your own way?

Overachieving: do you try extremely hard to impress your boss or others, or live up to some unrealistic expectation carried over from your growing up years? Who are you trying to impress the most?

Overreacting: when something doesn’t go your way, do you sulk, yell, or show other forms of extreme reaction?

Overbooking: is your calendar so full that there is no cushion between appointments? Do you run late on a regular basis? Maybe it’s time to pull back on how much you put on that thing!

I can find myself in some of these “overs.” How about you?

If you need some coaching on ways to overcome some of these stressful habits, contact me!

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