When at work, it is therefore extremely crucial to make your presence felt and to tread the path carefully so we don’t end up on the wrong side of the tether, professionally. Although doing your job perfectly is the best way to be a great employee, it is sometimes not enough. And apart from the things you do at work, there are some things you should absolutely avoid doing. You might think that these are just silly gaffes but they may actually be giving you a bad reputation at your workplace. 

We listed out a few mistakes you should avoid making to ensure a smooth career.

1. Being a ‘Yes’ man

You should not try to be a people-pleaser all the time. It might do you more harm than good. Yes, you might get a lot of approval by being there for your colleagues all the time, but you need to learn to start saying ‘no’, for your own good. Even if it is your boss. Learn to disagree, professionally. No one likes a pushover at work, make your opinion heard and valued. 

2. Not framing your emails correctly

If your email only says ‘PFA’, time you took a crash course on professional emailing.

Emails are a vital form of communication between colleagues. However, the thing with emails is that they have to be written very carefully. Often, it is difficult to sense your tone from your emails and therefore, it becomes imperative to frame them properly and not lose the essence of the communication. 

Keep your emails short and to the point. Don’t use smileys and unnecessary abbreviations. And please check them before you hit ‘send’. 

3. Being way too competitive and losing sight of the bigger picture

You may be an outstanding employee but you need to learn to value your team.

At your workplace, you should show that you are capable of going beyond personality conflicts or individual differences in order to deliver excellent results. Remember that your tasks are larger than you and work with your team efficiently towards your goal. 

4. Getting too comfortable with your job

Find new ways to challenge yourself and always be on your toes. 

When you are hired, your employer has certain expectations of you. Being lazy and not meeting those expectations is a deal-breaker. If you have been working for too long at one place, you are bound to get too comfortable and complacent. Challenge yourself and find interesting ways to do the same job.

5. Carrying your big ego to work

Don’t consider yourself the ultimate authority on everything, be open to be challenges. 

When you walk into the office, make sure you’ve left your ego at home. If you have a big ego and believe the decisions you make are always right, there’s a good chance you are not going to last long. Be open to ideas, be ready to accept that your ideas are not as good and be receptive to criticism.

6. Asking for deadline extensions

Again, you need to realise that you are a part of a large team. If you miss a deadline, not only does the project get delayed, others who might be dependent on your portion of the work might suffer.  

7. Not letting other people do their work

That’ll only make you that guy in office who everyone steers clear of.

Just because you aren’t serious about your work does not mean that others aren’t either. Respect others and give them the space they need to carry out their task with efficiency. If there’s something you genuinely need to talk about, ask them when they are available or take an appointment. 

8. Playing loud music without headphones

Do not be the office DJ.

Yes, you might need some background music to get your creative juices flowing, but there might be people around you who find that music annoying. They may require a quiet environment to do their work. Use headphones, for everyone’s benefit. Maybe wear it on one ear, so you know what is going on around you, it is work after all, not your house.

9. Spending too much time on social media

You won’t realise how much time you’ll lose due to social media.

If your job has nothing to do with social media, it’s better to stay away from it. Your working hours are not the time to catch up with your old friends or for posting pictures on Instagram. Keep these activities listed to breaks and lunch time only. 

10. Gossiping about co-workers

Do not fuel the rumour mill. Or indulge in a lot of chit-chat that is not work related.

It’s not a great idea to become the gossip queen in office. Spreading rumours about your co-workers will only make you look bad. You’d come across as a nasty person and this needless drama can damage your workplace relationships and your career. 

11. Being a bad listener

It goes without saying that you should be alert when discussing work with your colleagues. Not being a good listener will bring along a lot of problems. When someone is saying something important, do not be distracted. If this happens repeatedly, you will get a reputation for not being attentive, which is not helping in any way.

12. Not dressing properly

Dress according to the job you do.

If your company has a dress code, stick to it. Even if it doesn’t, you should dress up appropriately. Dressing like a slob would give the impression to your co-workers that you are lazy and don’t really care. 

13. Making promises you can’t keep

Do not over-promise.

Sure, it may sound amazing when you tell your boss that you’ll create not only what the client wants but also add custom functionalities. But before you go on making crazy promises, make sure you have it in you to deliver. Be straightforward and do what you say you’re going to do. There’s nothing as bad as over-promising and under-delivering. 

14. Cribbing about your job

Just get the work done.

Okay, you might not like the job you dreamt of. Or are doing what you did not intend to do. Most people don’t. But that does not mean you should go on cribbing about it. Work towards getting a job you might enjoy, but until then, give your best at the job you have. Constant complaining can also irritate your colleagues. 

15. Have your phone ringing all the time

Put it on silent. 

Yes, on silent. Not vibrate. If you are expecting an important call, keep it somewhere you can see, or keep it on vibrate in your pocket. Having a phone that is constantly beeping or buzzing every time you get a text is annoying.

So, just keep these things in mind. keep doing your work. And you’ll have a good successful professional life.