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These 5 Work Habits Will Hurt Your Reputation

News flash: other people’s perception of you impacts your chances for professional success. (No one said it was fair!) So at work, you want to present the image of yourself that shows the most potential. But are you hurting your image without even realizing it? You could be if you’re doing any of these five common work habits:

Procrastinating. Always scrambling to finish projects? Poor time management means you didn’t give that project your all, and worse, your procrastination might leave others scrambling to finish their parts too. What greatness could you have made if you’d planned ahead with goals and deadlines?
Complaining. Work isn’t always harmony and understanding, sympathy and trust abounding. Maybe you have a close colleague whom you quietly vent to, but if you’re the dark cloud drenching the office in negativity, that’s not helping your image. Few people like to be around a constant Debbie or Donnie Downer.
Talking. All. The. Time. It’s healthy to get face time with your coworkers. But when entire days are filled with small talk and the latest Netflix buzz, you’re talking too much! Consider, not everyone wants to know your super personal business, they may be annoyed by your constant social interruptions, and your boss may notice you’re spending an awful lot of time chatting instead of working on that important project due Friday.
Tardiness. Consistently showing up late shows poor planning and time management, but also lack of respect for your job—which your coworkers will notice even if your supervisor doesn’t. You never know who’s going to end up as your boss someday, and it may be that person who just waited 15 minutes for you.
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, you can use today to start turning them around. With time and consistency, 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!

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