Fair or not, other people’s perception of you shapes your chances for success and advancement at work. Of course you want to present the image of yourself that shows the most potential! Problem is, you might be hurting your potential for success without even realizing it. If you’re doing any of these five common work habits, you’re probably not presenting yourself in the best light:

1. Putting things off. Always flying by the seat of your pants and scrambling to finish projects? Poor planning and time management means you didn’t put your full effort into that project (and worse, your procrastination might cause others to scramble to finish their parts). What awesomeness could you have created if you had planned ahead? Try setting a to-do list with deadlines. For larger projects, break out the steps and set deadlines for each so you’ll be all set for the big finale.
2. Complaining. Work isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, and maybe you have a close colleague or two that you vent to when times are tough. But if you’re the dark cloud drenching the office in complaints and negativity, is that helping your image or employee morale? Few people like to be around a Debbie Downer day after day.
3. Talking, like, all the time. It’s healthy—even good practice—to get face time with your coworkers now and again. But when your days are filled with small talk and the latest Game of Thrones theories, so much that your work suffers or everyone in the office knows your business, you’re probably talking too much. Consider that not everyone in the office wants to know all your personal business, and some people may be turned off by your constant social flitting. Also consider that your boss may notice you’re spending an awful lot of time talking instead of, you know, working on that important project due Friday.
4. Tardiness. Consistently coming in late shows poor planning and time management, but also lack of respect for your job—and trust us, your coworkers notice even if your boss doesn’t. And everyone notices when you’re late to meetings, because they managed to make it on time. You never know who’s going to end up above you in the chain of command, and it may be that person who just waited 15 minutes for you to get to a meeting.
5. Gossiping. How would you feel if you found out your coworkers were talking about you behind your back? Gossip might make you feel better in the moment, but in the long run, it brings down employee morale and tears down others. It can also get you in HR hot water, so it’s best to just steer clear.

If you’re guilty of any of these habits, hey, it’s better you know now! They’re easy to turn around, and with consistency and time, you can restore any harm done by your old behaviors. Make sure you’re always putting your best, most professional foot forward. You never know who’s watching!