In this article, Michelle was interviewed for in the Daily Mail, where she shares seven bad habits that could be ruining your career.
Thousands of Australians set up meetings each year in an attempt to secure themselves a pay-rise or a promotion.
And while a well thought out presentation is all well and good, there are a number of everyday habits you can adopt that will significantly increase your chances of career success.
‘The modern workplace moves at a fast pace, and with the fear of artificial intelligence taking jobs it’s essential to stay ahead of the curve to ensure that you’re still relevant,’ career expert and author of Career Leap, Michelle Gibbings, said.
‘By many of us doing more in our work with less resources it has created a snowball effect of bad habits that could hold your career back.’
1. NEVER TAKE MORE THAN A WEEK OF LEAVE
Many employees feel guilty about taking long breaks and worry that their bosses will look down on them for doing so.
However, Michelle says it’s important to take long breaks for increased performance.
‘Mini-breaks are great, but longer breaks (beyond a week) are much better at providing time to rest, recharge and reflect,’ Michelle said.
2. NEVER WORRY ABOUT ‘BEING BORED’ AT WORK
‘With the busy mantra rushing around in your head you can easily worry when you have nothing to do,’ Michelle said.
‘However, it is when you are bored or daydreaming that you can come up with your best ideas.’
3. NEVER BE LATE TO MEETINGS
Some adopt the ‘fashionably late’ mantra so as to appear busier and more important than they really are.
This, Michelle says, is a terrible idea.
‘When you keep people waiting you are effectively saying to them “My time is more important than your time”,’ she said.
‘When you do that, you are also unconsciously saying to the person that you think you are more important than them.’
4. NEVER OVER-COMPLICATE WORK
‘Research shows that when goals are set too high and too hard, we don’t make progress,’ Michelle said.
‘You are far more likely to achieve things and create new patterns of behaviour and success when you break it down to bite-size, manageable chunks.’
5. NEVER GO TO BED LATE – NO MATTER HOW BUSY YOU ARE
With work piling up it can be tempting to go home and get it done by working hard into the early hours of the morning.
But like the others, this can be a big mistake.
‘When your brain is tired it eagerly takes the path of least resistance – letting expectations and assumptions drive how you think and act,’ Michelle said.
6. STOP MULTI-TASKING
While it may seem like a positive trait to have, multi-tasking can also backfire in a big way and jeopardise your career success.
‘When you multi-task your attention is split, and as you switch from one activity to another you lose concentration and ultimately become less productive,’ Michelle said.
7. DON’T ALWAYS FEEL THE NEED TO SAY ‘NO’
‘The conundrum is that if you always say “yes”, you lose your voice and your right to find the balance that works for your personal and professional life,’