Originally posted on  https://eba.benefitnews.com

Do you feel stuck in a rut? Expected to be shooting up the HR/benefit career ladder at this stage in the game? We all have bad habits, but bringing your baggage to the office can be the difference between soaring or stalling in your career. Ilya Pozin, an entrepreneur and founder of Pluto.TV, Open Me and Ciplex, offers six common workplace bad habits to break if you want to continue moving up the career ladder.

Being a lone wolf

Workplace collaboration is key to success. Even though you prefer working solo, which is in itself a value commodity, it shouldn’t be your only speed. Break the habit by finding a project near and dear to you and ask to be part of the team. Do your best to keep everyone involved and in the loop, and stretch those collaboration muscles.

Saying sorry too much

If you find yourself apologizing too much, it implies you’re making too many mistakes and can undercut your position within the organization. Own your mistakes and reserve the word “sorry” for the truly big mistakes.

Taking on every project

Challenging new projects should excite you, but do you find yourself overdoing it? Learn your limits … if you say yes to every project, you may soon yourself unhappy, burnt out and badly overworked. Nip this habit in the bud. The word “no” is powerful and doesn’t make you look like a slacker when you turn down a project. Be protective of your time and abilities and know when you’ve reached your limit.

Being negative

Nobody is friends with Negative Nancy. If you have a rain cloud over your head every morning, it’s no surprise you’re stuck where you are. Enthusiasm and passion are traits managers look for in their superstars. Sit yourself down and ask the hard questions you’ve been avoiding. If you hate your job, it might be time to look for another opportunity. Ask yourself what would make you wake up excited about your work day, and chase after your dreams.

Doing things the way they’ve always been done

Innovation is a thriving company’s life blood but, for most, doing the same old thing and getting paid for it is enough. Sit down with your boss and ask for an open-door policy to offer feedback. Try to chime in once a month with something new that can help your company grow. Even if some of your ideas aren’t used, you’ll stand out as a forward thinker who cares about the company’s future.

Being disorganized

It’s estimated an average of 9 million hours are spent looking for misplaced things. The impact of that on your work life can really eat away at your true potential. So on your next slow day, take the time to organize your work space and set a plan to stay organized. One of the hardest parts of reorganizing is the initial clean-up of clutter.