Everyone has habits at work — some good, some bad. Habits like daily prospecting, reviewing your pipeline and setting aside time for deep work can help you become a better promo pro. And on the flip side, habits like procrastinating or avoiding follow-ups can end up stalling your progress. It’s important to realize which habits help and which ones are holding you back.
Journalist Mike De Socio wrote a piece for the Atlassian blog that explains why your work habits matter so much and why doing small things over and over can help you reach your goals. We share his thoughts in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
How To Form Good Habits
Want to build habits that can help you grow as a professional and advance in your career? Get started today, even if it feels uncomfortable. De Socio says forming a new habit may feel hard at first but as you repeat it, the neural pathway in your brain becomes stronger and it becomes easier to follow automatically. Here’s how it’s done:
First, identify the habit you want to create. Then, De Socio says you should choose a cue or trigger that will prompt you to start the habit loop. You then perform the action and feel the reward of following through.
For example, if you want to start the habit of deep-focus work sessions, it may look like this: Your cue would be looking at your calendar each morning and blocking off an amount of time you can use for focused work. The action is silencing your phone and notifications while you work uninterrupted for the duration of the time block. Your reward is the sense of accomplishment you get for having followed through on your commitment and making progress on your project.
The steps are simple, he says, and can flex to meet your needs.
How To Break Bad Habits
What if you’ve fallen into some undesirable habits? You can break them by working in reverse, De Socio says. Here’s how to do it:
First, define the habit you want to leave behind. Then, he says you should add friction to the undesired habit and create a desirable alternative. Finally, recognize when you successfully avoid the unwanted action.
If you want to stop scrolling your phone in between meetings, add friction by turning off your phone or leaving it in your desk drawer. Choose an alternative, like writing out a to-do list or brainstorming some ideas. Over time, you’ll likely find yourself reaching for your notebook rather than your phone.
Anyone can build good habits. Start by reviewing what’s working well and then doubling down on those actions and behaviors. Then, you can start phasing out what’s not helping. Maybe it’s mindlessly scrolling your phone in between meetings or not giving yourself time to prep before meetings. When it comes to building good habits at work, you don’t have to be perfect, but you should be intentional and consistent.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Mike De Socio is an independent journalist and author who contributes to sites including The Guardian, Fortune and Atlassian.
