60 seconds with Dr. Rebecca Gladding
By BRIAN MOORE
NYPost.com
A “bad habit” at work could describe anything from procrastinating to regular meth breaks. What’s your definition?
Anything that’s keeping you from getting your tasks done so you can get home at a normal time every day. We’re talking about the day-to-day things people do that just aren’t beneficial for them.
It’s really based in the brain and where we focus our attention. Because of the way the brain is set up, the more you do something, the more the brain learns that’s a priority, and automatically sends unconscious impulses to keep doing that thing.
What are the most common bad habits in the workplace?
One is procrastinating — doing things that are less of a priority because you don’t want to do the difficult task. Another is socializing. People socialize so much they’ll miss a deadline or end up staying late.
Then there’s the compulsive checking of e-mail or smartphones. If you check your phone every five minutes in an eight-hour day, you’re checking it more than 100 times. You probably don’t need to be doing it that often.
Others are not being prepared for meetings and multitasking, which more and more studies have shown decreases your ability to put out quality work.
How can you correct these bad habits?
The first step is to re-label. You say, “Oh, I’m checking e-mail again and I don’t need to. I’m procrastinating.” You just call it what it is. That increases your awareness of what you’re doing throughout the day.
Step two is reframe. You say, “Why is this happening? Is this a really important message that my brain is sending me or is this just trying to distract me from what I really need to do?”
Step three is refocus — placing your attention on something that matters.
How do you make recognizing a bad habit second nature?
Any number of ways. You can set a timer every hour to remind yourself to focus in on what you’re doing. You could put a note on your computer or a reminder that comes up that asks you “What am I doing right now? Is this what I want to be doing?” Or just learn to make mental notes, so when you’re about to check your e-mail, say “I’m checking my e-mail now.”
That practice of labeling can get ingrained into your brain if you do it enough. You can make a good habit happen.
Rebecca Gladding, M.D., is a psychiatrist at UCLA specializing in anxiety, depression, and mindfulness and coauthor of You Are Not Your Brain: The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life
By BRIAN MOORE
NYPost.com
A “bad habit” at work could describe anything from procrastinating to regular meth breaks. What’s your definition?
Anything that’s keeping you from getting your tasks done so you can get home at a normal time every day. We’re talking about the day-to-day things people do that just aren’t beneficial for them.
It’s really based in the brain and where we focus our attention. Because of the way the brain is set up, the more you do something, the more the brain learns that’s a priority, and automatically sends unconscious impulses to keep doing that thing.
What are the most common bad habits in the workplace?
One is procrastinating — doing things that are less of a priority because you don’t want to do the difficult task. Another is socializing. People socialize so much they’ll miss a deadline or end up staying late.
Then there’s the compulsive checking of e-mail or smartphones. If you check your phone every five minutes in an eight-hour day, you’re checking it more than 100 times. You probably don’t need to be doing it that often.
Others are not being prepared for meetings and multitasking, which more and more studies have shown decreases your ability to put out quality work.
How can you correct these bad habits?
The first step is to re-label. You say, “Oh, I’m checking e-mail again and I don’t need to. I’m procrastinating.” You just call it what it is. That increases your awareness of what you’re doing throughout the day.
Step two is reframe. You say, “Why is this happening? Is this a really important message that my brain is sending me or is this just trying to distract me from what I really need to do?”
Step three is refocus — placing your attention on something that matters.
How do you make recognizing a bad habit second nature?
Any number of ways. You can set a timer every hour to remind yourself to focus in on what you’re doing. You could put a note on your computer or a reminder that comes up that asks you “What am I doing right now? Is this what I want to be doing?” Or just learn to make mental notes, so when you’re about to check your e-mail, say “I’m checking my e-mail now.”
That practice of labeling can get ingrained into your brain if you do it enough. You can make a good habit happen.
Rebecca Gladding, M.D., is a psychiatrist at UCLA specializing in anxiety, depression, and mindfulness and coauthor of You Are Not Your Brain: The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life
