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By stopping gossip, distractions, living in the past, and waiting for the perfect moment, you can radically improve the quality of your work, your well-being, and your relationships with friends and colleagues. How to give up bad habits that prevent you from enjoying life?
1. Check your phone during meetings
There you go again, you couldn’t resist. You tried, you really tried. And yes, yes, of course you did it very politely: “Is this your call? Ah, this must be mine, I’m sorry … ”And they buried themselves. Or not so: you just very, very imperceptibly – at least you think so – cast a quick glance down. Or even just fell silent and, having stopped listening to the interlocutor, focused on the phone.
Unless you want to be seen as an insensitive cracker, never do that. The phone does not care when you give it a second of attention. The phone will not appreciate him anyway, and this is his difference from people.
2. Get distracted in meetings
If you want to shine and prove yourself, close your laptop, turn off your phone and listen. And yes, yes, this very last very important letter can also wait. And no, nothing fatal will happen on Twitter in the half hour you’re gone.
Focus on what is happening here and now and you will be surprised how much new and important you will take out for yourself from the most everyday meeting. Hidden subtexts of agreements, unexpected opportunities for expanding partnerships, new ideas for projects – it’s all here at this dull meeting, but you will be the only one who notices – you are the only listener.
3. Think about the fate of people who have nothing to do with your life
Believe me, the inhabitants of “House-2” will perfectly figure out, even without your vigilant attention, why Petya left Katya for Masha. It is better to turn it to your loved ones: spouse, children, parents, friends. Give them your time and thoughts. They deserve it much more.
Look, you really don’t need to know about every spam email that falls into your inbox. And social media posts aren’t all that important either. And likes on Instagram are, of course, sacred, but why do you need to learn about them every two minutes? If you are busy with something important, do not be distracted by nonsense.
Allow yourself to fully focus on the task at hand. You can always check social media and email when you’re done. Don’t let others schedule your life. What you’re working on right now is far more important than what others might be doing.
5. Live in the past
Of course, the past is an important part of the experience. The mistakes we made teach us to be stronger and not to repeat them, but it is very important not to dwell on them. Learn to forgive: yourself and others. If you did something wrong, don’t gnaw at yourself for the rest of your life, but look at the situation as an opportunity to fix everything and learn something in the process. If someone else has made a mistake, do not bring down on him the full power of your criticism and caustic wit: this is your chance to show generosity, kindness and understanding. Don’t miss it.
6. Wait for the perfect moment
The perfect moment will never come. There are no perfect moments. Instead of waiting for a mysterious set of circumstances, take a chance. And even if you are not sure of success (and no one is sure of success when trying something new), you can always be sure that no one will forbid you to try again. Stop waiting: you will lose much less than you fear, and gain much more than you dare to hope.
7. Gossip
It’s not worth it. If you discussed with everyone what Ivanov is doing there, why not discuss it with Ivanov himself, and not behind his back? Ah, “you’re not in a position to talk to him”? So maybe then you shouldn’t rant about it at all? Spend this time on productive and meaningful conversations – this is useful for business, and you will not be considered a gossip.
8. Accept out of courtesy
Yes, it’s not easy to refuse: how will friends and colleagues look at it? .. But, as a rule, both friends and colleagues understand if you refuse politely and with an explanation of the reasons for the refusal. And those who do not understand and are indignant – is their opinion so important to you? Saying “no”, you will survive, of course, a few unpleasant minutes, but nothing more. And by subscribing to something that makes you want to escape to the ends of the world, you will suffer at least as long as this damn thing takes. And maybe even longer.
Source: Inc.