Annoying Habits at Work

A big part of many jobs is to collaborate effectively with others. That's tough to do if your colleagues and supervisors find you irritating and it's easier than you might think to rub people the wrong way, even when you're sitting at your desk minding your own business.

1. You're Unprepared
Showing up for meetings, interviews or arranged work sessions without the equipment or data that you need demonstrates a lack of respect for your coworkers and yourself and it wastes time. Get off on the right foot, and make like a scout and be prepared.

1.1

Planning Poorly

Spend your first hour at work wondering what you should work on today. So many people, when they leave their office at 4 to 6 p.m., really have no clue what they're going to do first thing the following morning. It's more efficient to plan your next day before you leave work.

2. You're Not a Team Player

You have to be willing to pitch in when another member of the team needs help. There's nothing more annoying than watching somebody do a crossword puzzle while you're buried in work and if a coworker needs a little time off to run an important errand, be flexible and help out when you can.

3. You're Not Self-Reliant

Ask for help only when you really need it. Giving up on the paper jam after only one try and expecting a coworker to fix it because you know he/she can does not contribute to good team spirit. Try everything you can to solve your own problem before involving somebody else.

4. You, Umm, Smell

Your scent is important, especially when you're working in a small, poorly ventilated space with lots of other people around. Be considerate of your neighbors by taking care not to generate strong smells that will permeate their space. For instance, don't eat eggs or onions in the office. If you smoke, be sure you air yourself out before you walk back in the office. The same goes for colognes. Fragrance is a very personal choice, so it should be reserved for those who are close to you, not 20 yards away.

5. You're Loud on the Phone

Loud telephone conversations can be offensive to your neighbors, so try to keep your voice low and even and also keep personal calls short. Phone fights or, worse yet, phone foreplay can really drive one up a wall after a certain point. Remember that you are not in your living room.

6. You're Unhealthy
If you're sick, stay home. If you have the sniffles or must come in, cover your mouth and do whatever you can to avoid infecting your coworkers.

@PIJ

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7. You Walk Like an Elephant

Try to move around the office quietly to avoid disturbing the people around you and if you must speak to another colleague, keep your voice down.

8. Your Cellphone Is Always On

Unless absolutely necessary, cellphones should be turned off while you're in the office. If you need to keep your phone on, use a soft or silent ringer or vibrate mode.

9. Your Computer Volume Is Blasting

Nobody wants to hear somebody else's bells and whistles when they're trying to concentrate.

10.

You Shake Hands Like a Fish and Avoid Eye Contact

When somebody won't look at you in the eye or give some energy in their handshake, it feel like they're avoiding or snubbing you in some way. Give a firm handshake and a friendly smile.

11.

Spending the Day in 'Email Reaction Mode'

Answering every email as it comes in may make you seem responsive, but it's not productive. You feel like you're being a hero because you're dealing with all your email, but it has nothing to do with achieving your goals.

12.

Putting Personal Life Before Work

Everyone has emergencies from time to time. But it's annoying to have to fill in for the colleague who is late every morning because they checking on their home-remodeling project, or who misses an entire afternoon because they scheduled a routine dentist appointment.

13.

Being Late for Meetings

People who show up 5 or 10 minutes late for a meeting cause a "domino effect,". Meetings later that day may be thrown off schedule because the earlier ones ran late. And people who show up on time feel their time is being wasted.

14.

Using Inappropriate Humor

Your coworkers may not appreciate your sense of humor. Skip the off-color or racially targeted jokes, and be careful about sensitive subjects such as politics and religion.

15.

Not Caring About Your Work

People like coworkers who are enthusiastic about what they do. Show that you take pride in your job by presenting yourself well, communicating clearly and doing your best work.

@PIJ

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