We all do things at work to make the day go a little bit faster or to enjoy the little things in life. Whether it’s sneaking in a quick social media check or daydreaming about the weekend, we’ve all been there. How many are you guilty of? Here are 17 behaviors that everyone has done at least once.
Overusing Office Supplies
Without realizing it, we’ve all been guilty of hoarding pens or sticky notes. It may feel almost like a natural instinct to grab more than we need just in case they aren’t there when we need them. Maybe it could just be the fact that you’ve never seen so many pens in your life. Whatever the reason, it’s very common.
Online Shopping
Your personal life doesn’t cease to exist when you’re at work, so why should your shopping habits? Especially when the latest drop is incoming, or you’re in desperate need of those concert tickets. According to HR News, you’re not alone, with almost seven in 10 employees admitting to a sneaky workplace browse.
Sneaking a Snack
Whether you’re a regular in the office snack drawer or you bring in your bites from home, you’ve got to eat, right? When hunger strikes, there’s no telling what might happen. You might even sneak a cookie out of a colleague’s stash as a pick-me-up. We’re all guilty of secretly getting in those hidden snacks.
Pretending to Work
From our very first days of working, we have all learned how to master the art of appearing productive just to get a little bit of rest time. This performance can include clicking aimlessly on the mouse or staring intensely at your computer screen, and let’s face it, it requires skill to pull it off.
Personal Calls and Messages
Everyone is guilty of taking a personal call or messaging during work hours. It can often be unavoidable, especially if you’re awaiting a call from home or concerning an appointment. Keeping a balance between your work and personal life is perfectly healthy if it’s brief and doesn’t bother anyone.
Daydreaming
When you’re in a long meeting or struggling through a particularly challenging task, a little bit of daydreaming is normal, and your colleagues are probably guilty of it, too. Whether you’re thinking about your upcoming vacation or imagining what you might have for dinner that evening, those few minutes are bliss and are a harmless way to recharge.
Using Work Email for Personal Stuff
Sending off an email using your professional account is easily done accidentally or simply for convenience, however it is important to be aware of its dangers. Hegarty Solicitors suggests that ‘non-work-related emails sent by employees from a workplace email would be classified as private and confidential.’
Desk Naps
The BBC tells us that in Japan, ‘dozing in meetings is apparently a sign of status to show off how hard you work,’ and who could argue with that? Those sneaky power naps in the office can be a lifesaver and increase your productivity. It’s risky, but we all catch a few z’s when they’re needed.
Eavesdropping
For all of us curious humans, office gossip can be hard to resist, and we’ve all taken out our earphones and eavesdropped on a conversation or two. No matter if it’s about work or personal drama, we tend to find it intriguing – just beware of becoming known as the office secret spreader.
Checking Social Media
Social media is a part of our lives today and even tends to creep into the professional environment. It’s no secret that we all peek at our feeds during work hours to see what our friends are up to and to stay connected with the outside world. Remember, though, moderation is key.
Extended Bathroom Breaks
Taking a moment from the office environment to take a breather in the bathroom is more common than you might think. While it may be frowned upon by many employers, sometimes it’s the only place for a few minutes of solitude. If you hold your hand up for this one, just don’t make it too frequent to avoid suspicion.
Browsing Non-Work Websites
The internet is a vast place full of interesting content, and sometimes, it’s easy to get lost in it. Browsing non-work sites can be a guilty pleasure when it provides a little escape from monotonous tasks and can help you to get through the day.
Casual Fridays
While it isn’t necessarily a secret habit, casual Fridays are famous for boosting workplace morale. It’s the one day of the week that most people get excited about, whether they admit it or not. Vantage Circle suggests that casual dressing initiates conversations that wouldn’t happen otherwise which helps to break down office hierarchies.
Listening to Music or Podcasts
Even though it’s becoming a more normal practice in office environments, people may still feel the need to hide their listening habits. Tuning into a podcast or playing your favorite albums can increase your productivity and make your tasks more enjoyable, as long as it doesn’t bother your neighbor.
Suffering from ‘Hangry’ Outbursts
Hunger has the habit of making people irritable, leading to undesirable ‘hangry’ moments. We’ve all unintentionally snapped at a colleague or grown grumpy due to an empty stomach. It’s a relatable human experience, but it can be avoided by snacking throughout the day whenever you feel a pang.
Staring at the Clock
Watching the clock is a behavior that we all picked up during our school days, and it has since become a universal office practice. It tends to be particularly dominant when people are reaching the end of the workday, counting down the minutes until they can clock off.
Procrastination
As Verywell Mind writes, one of the main reasons why people procrastinate is ‘the notion that we have to feel inspired or motivated to work on a task at a particular moment.’ This explains why procrastinating in the workplace is common, especially when the hours are contracted and people feel as though they are being forced to be productive.
Up Next: 17 Things Most People Forget After Someone Dies
When a person dies, it’s easy for their partner or family members to overlook things while they process shock and grief. Despite the pain of losing a loved family member, it’s important to remember to organize these 17 things to prevent problems later on.
17 Things Most People Forget After Someone Dies
17 Phrases Confident People Use to Stand Up For Themselves
Confidence is a healthy and attractive trait that helps us stand firm in our values and set healthy boundaries. We can always become more confident, and learning the right ways to stand up for yourself is a great way to start. Here are 17 phrases you can use to do so.
17 Phrases Confident People Use to Stand Up For Themselves
20 Signs Someone Is Only Pretending to Care
Whether it’s to avoid hurting your feelings or if it’s part of a more elaborate plan to deceive you for benefits, people pretend for many reasons. The main theme with them, though, is that their actions never match the sugar-coated words that come out of their mouths. So that you don’t fall for someone like this, we’ve compiled 20 signs for you to look out for.