Metro Offices Inspired Workspaces Blog

How to Break Bad Work Habits

Written by Metro Admin | 09/25/2015

In the workplace, bad habits can affect a company’s overall output if they are ignored for too long. Yes, habits are definitely hard to break, but with a little smart planning and focused efforts, your office can get rid of them and improve productivity to unprecedented levels.

The first step to getting rid of those bad habits is to identify them. Metro Offices, a trusted company when it comes to office and meeting space in Dulles, Virginia, talks about some of the bad habits we often overlook:

 • Arriving late to a meeting

A lot of people are usually involved in meetings. If you’re fifteen minutes late, that’s fifteen minutes of lost time not only for you, but also for those who went out of their way to be there on schedule.

• Leaving long voice mails

This is also a complete waste of time for both you and the recipient. Instead of making long voice mails, why not skip the fluff and get straight to the point?

• Email Chats

Long emails can also be unproductive. That’s because composing an email, sending one, waiting for the new one, and replying is going to take a lot of your time. If the person you want to communicate with is nearby, you might want to consider meeting them in person. You can also opt to chat with them over social media or you can even call them.

• Over Texting

Frequent texting, too, can hamper productivity. It is distracting to both you and your text’s recipient, affecting both of your productivity.

• Demanding an in-person meeting

Unnecessary meetings are unproductive at worst and bothersome at the least. They also hinder the momentum of everyone involved in the meeting. So unless it is really important, try to avoid meetings.

• Doing it alone
Many people think that they can do anything on their own. That is the “loner mindset” at work. Seek help from your colleagues to get things done quicker and more efficiently.

• Mindless browsing

There’s a reason many companies have policies against browsing non-work related sites. It takes away time you could spend doing your job. Keep your random browsing to break times so you can maximize your productivity.

• Taking too many trips to the coffee room

A lot of people need their daily dose of caffeine, but some of them take things to the extreme. In fact, this is a habit that many people have: going at least four times a day, getting a cup, chatting with officemates while there, and grabbing another cup before finally heading back to their desks. If you limit your trips to at least twice a day, you may find that you have more time to get things done.

• Liking stress

Some people think that getting stressed out at work means that they’re doing something worthwhile or they’re doing something more, but that is actually not true. It only means that you’re not working smarter and you’re only straining yourself.

Do you have these bad habits? You should correct them while there's still time. If, however, you’re looking for an office space that has all the facilities needed to increase your workforce’s productivity, you can always rely on Metro Office. Aside from offices, we also have meeting rooms and training facilities in Dulles, VA as well as in our 9 other Metro DC locations. And with our wonderful amenities, your office environment will surely encourage your people to work for you with enthusiasm.

For questions and inquiries, please give us a call and our friendly office staff will be more than willing to answer all your questions. Choose Metro Offices for your meeting room and office space needs today.