There are days when you’re working or about to start a job, when you might find yourself falling into the pitfalls of work don’ts. It’s easy to do, you get comfortable in your position, and you feel that you have some leeway. Though this may be true in some offices, there are some things that you shouldn’t do, no matter how long you’ve been at your place of work. These things can make or break your career, and it’s best to avoid them as much as possible!
Office Gossip — You know, the old “he said, she said” bit. Don’t get pulled into that trap. Your reputation, as well as the person being discussed, is in jeopardy. It’s good to know what is going on in your company, but if it is not work-related or substantiated by the person being discussed, then, take no part in it! You don’t want to be known as a gossip, and you don’t want to be the one who gets caught spreading it.
Social Networking During Work — We’ll leave the part about how you should not be doing anything personal on your work computer anyway. It doesn’t matter if it’s in your office or the break room. But saying negative things about your work or co-workers while people on your page are people you work with is not a good idea, regardless of whether you are at work or not. You are in a world where if someone can walk over you to get ahead, they will. So, it won’t be anything to them to report you to higher authorities.
Relationships — Your work relationships and your personal relationships are two different things and the two shall never meet. If you are fighting with your boyfriend, then, that stays at home. You don’t bring it to work with you. If it’s not work-related, then, it doesn’t follow you to work. If your work day ends at 5:00 pm, then, your work shouldn’t follow you home. When you meld the two together, you find yourself crossing boundaries that you wouldn’t normally cross during your on or off hours. Do yourself, your family, and your job a favor and keep those two relationships far away from each other.
Making Commitments You Can’t Keep — If you sign a contract, that means that you are legally bound to follow it. If you don’t read your contract and later find that you can’t uphold your end of the bargain, then, that’s on you. Don’t over-promise. Your employer and other employees are expecting you to do what you said you would do. At the end of the day, all you have is your word, and if you are not able to keep it, then, you’re wasting not only their time, but yours.
Getting Angry — Being angry is a natural emotion; however, being irrational and starting a screaming match in the middle of the office is not acceptable. There are days that you may feel angry and you may have every right to feel it. You worked hard on getting that promotion, and then, it went to someone else. You’ve put in your full time hours and you’ve done what you were asked to do, however, your employer feels that you should do more. Get over it! Either it’s enough of a problem that you are discussing it with your employer in a calm manner, or it’s not worth it. It not only makes you look bad, but that kind of problem can follow you to your next job.
Whining — No one likes it. Stop it. It is a well-known fact that people who are doing the whining are usually the ones who are making the work day miserable. Whining doesn’t give you any kind of results. It’s just that — whining! When something happens, take a deep breath, slowly count to 10 and reflect on all of the positive things in your favor. You are in control of your happiness, and it is up to you to make sure that you are happy! CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!
There are so many things that we didn’t cover on what not to do, but these should get you through your work day without too many problems. Remember, only you can tell you what is going to keep you happy. If you find that you are having a hard time with any of these, maybe a change of workplace is in order. No on can make you happy, and you have to do what it takes to get you there! △