“It’s estimated that out of every 11,000 signals we receive from our senses, our brain only consciously processes 40.”[1] In short, we are creatures of habit. A habit can be defined as any action we have performed so often, that we now do it without thinking, and may not even realize we are doing it. Certain habits can be seen as undesirable however, and some of us are unaware of the signals we send through our habits.

Often, we think things like nail biting or never changing the toilet paper roll shouldn’t really bother anyone else. To us, they are merely an extension of who we are and we aren’t even aware we’re doing them. In the eyes of others however, our habits may stick out like a sore thumb. There’s a pretty good chance that our significant other, family member or friend will eventually point out our irritating customs.

Bad habits that go uncriticized can be detrimental to us, especially in the workplace. Smoking, swearing, bad grammar, excuse making, procrastination, complaining, arrogance, and being overly authoritarian can be undesirable responses to common, everyday circumstances. When we spend one third of our day working, those kinds of bad habits are bound to be unveiled to our coworkers. Worst case, they can cause derision, provoke your employees to find other work or cost you that much anticipated promotion.

While some of our behaviors may seem less harmful, they can be conceived in a bad light and create a false portrait of us to our coworkers. Folding of the arms when meeting with peers might give an impression of insecurity. Talking about personal issues with a new client may instill an air of unprofessionalism. Never leaving the tip at lunch meetings may give prospective customers an uneasy feeling about that lack of concern for the little guy. Consistently answering a cell phone in the middle of conversations or even spitting while talking can cause important people to avoid future encounters. Don’t become the person that people whisper about when you leave the room. People may not always have the nerve to tell you something to your face, so take this opportunity to analyze yourself, and see if a change needs to be made. Be honest as you consider, “Do I belong in any of these categories?”

Not Listening – The most passive-aggressive form of disrespect for colleagues.

Failing to Give Proper Recognition – The inability to praise and reward.

Negativity - That person that needs to share his negative thoughts, without invitation.

You can find a more in-depth list of bad habits that can hold you back at http://www.businessweek.com/playbook/06/1228_1.htm.

Many of us attempt to break bad habits with little success. Often we go headlong into the fight and at the first sign of failure, we get discouraged and quit (another bad habit). Conquering those shortcomings seems a monumental task, and sad to say, there’s no magic cure for learned behaviors – just hard work. One overarching rule that I have found to be true: bad habits absolutely must be replaced with good ones. We can’t just slice out a neat little piece of ourselves and call it a day, because that incision leaves a gap that needs to be filled.

Fortunately, there is help. Find a few friends or coworkers who share your problem or at least would love to see you conquer yours. Hash out ways to avoid situations that prompt your bad habit and some substitute behaviors. Get on the internet and take a course. Don’t expect things to change overnight. You’re going to slip up sometimes, so forgive yourself if you fail and move forward. Remember that it took you a good long time to form that behavior, so give yourself some time to unform it. Mark Twain said, “Habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.”

Examine your own behaviors, and pay attention to the subtle hints from those around you – maybe someone’s trying to tell you something!

In the words of the great philosopher, Aristotle,

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

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[1] Tips for Breaking Bad Habits and Developing Good Habits, by Scott Young