by Sun Meilan

Created on: March 22, 2010   Last Updated: June 12, 2011

Most of us rely on our employment to pay the bills. This does come with an important caveat though; you have to attend work regularly, turn up on time and leave on time if you want to keep your job. This means that any off duty habits that could affect your employment need to be reigned in. Such habits could include: 

Excess alcohol

If you drink too much, you are almost certainly going to have a hangover the next day - that is a given. If you have to drink on a night when you have work the next day, keep it to just a couple of glasses and don't go overboard. If you are really hungover the next day, the temptation to take the day off can be strong and it could set a precedent for every time you have a hangover. 

Binge drinking

This is more serious than the odd night of excess alcohol. Binge drinkers tend to drink copious amounts over a period of a few days, which will either involve going into work drunk or taking several days of work for which you have no doctor's note. Both of these situations are likely to end up with you being terminated from your employment, or at least putting a black mark against your name. 

Drugs

Like alcohol, drugs can hinder your judgement to the extent that you forget about going to work, or make excuses not to go. The problem comes when it is not just the odd day, but it becomes days on end and your ability to work when you are there is impaired. Drugs (and alcohol) can also have an affect on your mental health - even if it was previously good - which can have a further impact on your employment. 

Excess partying

Probably connected with drugs and alcohol, some people love to party. That is fine, provided that it is kept to weekends and holidays. Staying out until 6am may seem like a good idea at the time, but you will find it hard to function at work the next day, if you actually manage to get in. Again, you might get away with the odd day, but if it becomes a habit, it could affect your employment. 

Serious hobbies

If your job is just to fund your hobby, then you could find yourself needing time off work in order to follow through. This is particularly the case with sportspeople, who have competitions coming up for which they need to practice, and work just gets in the way. You need to find some kind of balance so that you can keep your job, but also follow your dreams. 

Depression

Although not exactly a habit, depression can become very much part of a lifestyle, both at work and at home. When it becomes particularly bad, it can be very hard for a sufferer to get up in the mornings, let alone go to work and function properly. This is one 'habit' that could be more acceptable than the ones mentioned above, provided that you have a doctor's diagnosis. 

If you are finding that getting to work on time is a struggle, and that you don't work to your full ability while you are there, you may find yourself at risk of losing your job. Think about your actions and the consequences before things go too far. 

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