Habits and Work

Habits are involuntary acts done primarily to serve ourselves for immediate gratification. It's all the things we do without thought, both good and bad, which make us feel good, safe and secure. And, we would miss them if they were gone. It's why breaking them is so hard to do.

Habits also create an image, how we're seen by the outside world. Our cleanliness, sloppiness, reading and eating habits, all define who we are to the people around us. They make up our posture, approach and attitude towards things. So, they count.

Habits aren't work. Work is what we do with intention for someone else whether we feel like it or not. It's our regimen, process and systematic effort to produce a specific change in the world. There's an outcome in mind when we do our work. Our work might become routine, and probably is, but it's not a habit because we need to choose to do it.

The key then is to develop habits which better serve our work. And to break the ones which don't. We can also change some things we consider work into habits. The goal is to work to create unintentional acts for the benefit of those around us. Eventually, how we're seen improves, our work improves, results improve and we feel better.

Some habits to consider forming...

  • smiling

  • neatness

  • punctuality

  • listening

  • cleanliness

  • personal hygiene

  • attentiveness

  • cheerfulness

  • eye contact

Worth a shot.