5 Ways Smoking Kills Your Productivity

You've probably already heard about the health risks of smoking, and you still choose to ignore them. Did you know, though, that your favorite cigarettes can also slay your productivity? Here are five business-related reasons to add to your "Why Quit?" list.

You Waste Time

Smoking is prohibited in most workplaces,, which means that you have to make your way out of the building whenever you want to have a cigarette. Unless you're following strict break rules your habit translates into multiple tri ps back and forth during the day. Even if you're lucky enough to have a designated space inside the building, you'll still spend lots of precious minutes away from your desk.

Every time you come back from a quick break, your brain takes a few moments to catch up with the tasks you leave unfinished. As a result, the time you spend smoking could mean the difference between having to work late and getting off work early enough to relax and hang out with your loved ones.

You Get Easily Distracted

Imagine having to attend a long meeting that requires your full attention. At the beginning, everything seems to run smoothly: you're on your A-game„ taking notes and participating in the conversation. An hour later-, you start to wonder when you're going to take a break. The more tired you get, the more restless you become, craving for a cigarette. As soon as the meeting is over, you rush out to finally have a smoke. The same holds true for every business obligation that lasts more than a couple of hours. Your nicotine-addicted brain jumps into emergency mode when it senses that you are not allowed to smoke at will. As a result, you get easily distracted and irritable, which may prevent you from doing your job effectively.

You Take Sick Leaves More Often

Smoking takes a toll on your immune system, and that makes you more vulnerable to seasonal viruses and other health problems. Therefore, you are more likely to fall ill than your non-smoking colleagues. If staying in bed with the flu doesn't sound like a big deal to you, you can be certain that your co-workers will eventually hate you because they'll have to pick up the slack every time you get sick.

Your boss won't appreciate your frequent absences either and he may question whether you're worth your salary. Depending on the amount of time you spend away from work, he may choose to demote you, or even fire you. In any case, you can kiss goodbye to that promotion you were hoping for.

Your Energy Levels Drop

Avid smokers are notorious for their poor fitness levels Pair that up with a physically challenging job, and you have a recipe for disaster. How can you possibly focus on doing your job right when you get out of breath climbing a few flights of stairs? Fatigue is also a huge enemy against your productivity, making it hard for you to go about your busy day. Working at a desk job doesn't mean you're on the clear, either. Combining a sedentary lifestyle with smoking makes you all the more susceptible to weight gain and chronic tiredness.