一身惡習肯定不利于身心健康和個人發(fā)展，但有點小毛病也未必是壞事兒。比如，研究證明，愛遲到的人往往比較樂觀，習慣做最好的打算；桌面凌亂的人可能更有目標；偶爾走神可以提高工作效率等等。

擁有下面這些小毛病不僅無傷大雅，而且可能還對你有好處。

1. Procrastinating

拖延癥

There's a growing body of literature dedicated to why people procrastinate - and how to stop it.

關于拖延癥成因以及治療方法的研究文獻越來越多。

But Wharton professor Adam Grant argues that we should expand our conception of procrastination to include not just laziness, but also waiting for the right time. In other words, procrastination can help boost creativity because you give yourself a chance to develop your big idea.

但沃頓商學院教授亞當?格蘭特認為，我們應該認識到，拖延癥不僅僅是懶，也是在等待正確的時機。換句話說，拖延癥有助于提升人們的創(chuàng)造力，因為你給了自己空間去想出好主意。

2. Biting your nails

啃指甲

Researchers followed about 1,000 kids starting when they were five years old. When the kids were five, seven, nine, and 11, the researchers asked their parents whether they bit their nails or sucked their thumb. About one-third of the kids displayed one or both habits.

研究人員們從5歲開始對約1000名兒童進行了追蹤研究。當孩子們處于5歲、7歲、9歲和11歲時，研究人員詢問這些孩子的父母，他們是否會咬指甲或嘬手指。約三分之一的兒童有至少其中一種習慣。

When the kids were 13 and then 32 years old, the researchers performed allergy tests. Sure enough, the group that had habitually bit their nails and/or sucked their thumb as kids were less likely to have developed allergies.

當這些孩子長到13歲和32歲時，研究人員對他們進行過敏測試。結果發(fā)現(xiàn)有咬指甲或（和）嘬手指習慣的孩子，更不容易過敏。

At the same time, one of the study authors advised parents not to encourage nail-biting or thumb-sucking in their kids.

與此同時，該論文作者建議父母們不要鼓勵孩子們咬指甲或者嘬手指。

While nail-biting doesn't typically cause long-term damage, it can damage the skin around the nail, making you more susceptible to infections. Meanwhile, if thumb-sucking continues past when a kid's permanent teeth come in, it can change how the teeth line up.

雖然咬指甲不會造成長期損傷，但會破壞指甲周圍的皮膚，讓人更容易感染。此外，在換牙之前嘬手指會影響牙齒的排列。

3. Running late

遲到

Being chronically tardy can interfere with both your personal and professional relationships, making you look disorganized or worse, disrespectful.

總是遲到會影響你的個人和職場人際關系，給人留下散漫甚至是不尊重他人的印象。

不過遲到也許并不是你的本意，而是因為你對自己太過自信。據(jù)《紐約時報》援引心理學作家戴安娜?狄隆佐的話稱：

"Many late people tend to be both optimistic and unrealistic and this affects their perception of time. They really believe they can go for a run, pick up their clothes at the dry cleaners, buy groceries and drop off the kids at school in an hour."

“很多愛遲到的人都比較樂觀，且不切實際，這影響了他們的時間觀念。他們真的認為，自己可以在一小時之內完成跑步、到干洗店取衣服、買日用品以及去送孩子到學校的工作。”

In other words, late people hope for and expect the best - which can be a double-edged sword in daily life.

換句話說，愛遲到的人總是做最好的打算，而這在日常生活中可能是把雙刃劍。

4. Complaining

抱怨

No one wants to be that friend who goes on and on about his annoying coworker, the rain, and the lousy service at the restaurant where he just ate.

沒有人想要不停向朋友抱怨自己的同事有多討厭、雨下得有多惱人，或者自己用餐的飯店服務有多差。

Meanwhile, recent research cited in The Atlantic found that those who complain more mindfully - meaning they have a specific end result in mind - are happier than those who simply vent.

不過，《大西洋月刊》上一項新的研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，更加慎重抱怨的人（這種人的腦海中有一個明確的終極結果），比那些單純宣泄的人更快樂。

If you need to complain, there's a way to express some negativity without turning off everyone around you or exacerbating the situation. According to psychologist Guy Winch, there's a "right" way to gripe.

如果你需要抱怨，有一種方法既可以抒發(fā)負面情緒，又不會讓周圍的人感到厭煩或讓情況惡化。據(jù)心理專家蓋伊?溫奇稱，抱怨也是有“正確”的方法的。

"An effective complaint is about an issue that can be remedied, and is addressed to someone who has the power to fix it."

“有效的抱怨會圍繞一個可以補救的問題進行，而且抱怨的對象要是有能力處理這個問題的人。”

5. Chewing gum

嚼口香糖

It's rude to do it in a job interview, so don't. But when you're sitting alone, it could be a key to productivity and relaxation.

在面試時吃口香糖是一種無禮的行為，千萬不要這樣。不過如果你獨自待著，嚼口香糖是一種提高效率、放松心情的好辦法。

Multiple studies suggest that chewing gum helps you feel more alert - one study even found that people who chewed gum performed better on an intelligence test than people who didn't.

許多研究認為，嚼口香糖能讓你的思維更敏捷，甚至還有研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，嚼口香糖的人在智力測試中的表現(xiàn)會比沒有嚼口香糖的人更好。

Other research suggests that chewing gum boosts mood and reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

也有研究認為，嚼口香糖能夠讓人心情舒暢，降低壓力荷爾蒙皮質醇水平。

6. Keeping a messy desk

桌面凌亂

If piles of papers are toppling over onto your coworker's desk, it might be time to tidy up.

如果你的一堆文件已經(jīng)要倒向同事的辦公桌上了，那么可能是時候整理一下。

But assuming you can keep your mess to yourself, there could be benefits to the disorganization. Recent research suggests that messiness prompts people to be more goal-oriented because we're motivated to seek order somewhere.

但如果你沒有影響到別人，那么這種混亂可能對你有益。最近的研究表明，邋遢讓人更有目標，因為這促使我們在別的方面追求秩序。

In other words, simply the sight of a sloppy workspace could make you more productive.

換句話說，表面上看起來亂糟糟的工作空間會讓你效率更高。

7. Fidgeting

坐姿不安分

Again, when you're in a meeting with your boss, it's not the best idea to be squirming in your seat.

再說一次，如果你是去見老板，那這可不是一個好主意。

But tapping your leg or wiggling your fingers while you're seated at your desk could help you stay healthy. One study found that women who reported fidgeting more while at work had a lower mortality risk than women who said they fidgeted less.

但如果你是坐在辦公桌前，手腳扭來扭去可能有助于保持健康。一項研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，自稱工作時動來動去的女性比坐姿比較老實的女性死亡風險更低。

In fact, fidgeting seemed to make the association between long sitting times and mortality disappear.

事實上，坐姿不安分似乎使得久坐時間與死亡風險之間不再相關。

8. Gossiping

八卦

No, this is not an excuse to invite your best friend over to bash your other best friend's new haircut.

你不能以此為借口，讓一位好朋友去吐槽另一位好朋友的新發(fā)型。

Research suggests that gossiping in order to help someone else can make you feel better.

研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，以幫助他人為目的的八卦可以讓你感覺更好。

9. Daydreaming

白日做夢

In 2010, researchers published some attention-getting findings suggesting that mind-wandering can make you unhappy.

2010年，研究人員公開了一些引人注目的發(fā)現(xiàn)，他們認為心不在焉會讓人不開心。

But spending a few minutes deliberately letting yourself zone out can also make you more productive and creative.

但有意讓自己走神幾分鐘也能提升你的效率和創(chuàng)造力。

For example, one study cited in The Harvard Business Review found that allowing your mind to wander for about 12 minutes while you're working on a difficult task can help you find a solution when you return to it.

例如，《哈佛商業(yè)評論》上刊登的一項研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，當你在解決難題時，讓自己走神12分鐘左右后再回神，有助于找到答案。

10. Using filler words

用無意義的詞

Um, so it sounds totally uNPRofessional to, uh, use filler words in every sentence, right?

呃，每句話中都加上語氣詞，會讓你看起來很不專業(yè)，對吧？

But a recent Quartz article highlights research that suggests words such as "um" and "uh" help listeners understand and remember what you're saying.

但Quartz上最近發(fā)布的一篇文章強調，研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，“嗯”、“啊”之類的詞有助于聽眾理解和記住你的話。

一身惡習肯定不利于身心健康和個人發(fā)展，但有點小毛病也未必是壞事兒。比如，研究證明，愛遲到的人往往比較樂觀，習慣做最好的打算；桌面凌亂的人可能更有目標；偶爾走神可以提高工作效率等等。

擁有下面這些小毛病不僅無傷大雅，而且可能還對你有好處。

1. Procrastinating

拖延癥

There's a growing body of literature dedicated to why people procrastinate - and how to stop it.

關于拖延癥成因以及治療方法的研究文獻越來越多。

But Wharton professor Adam Grant argues that we should expand our conception of procrastination to include not just laziness, but also waiting for the right time. In other words, procrastination can help boost creativity because you give yourself a chance to develop your big idea.

但沃頓商學院教授亞當?格蘭特認為，我們應該認識到，拖延癥不僅僅是懶，也是在等待正確的時機。換句話說，拖延癥有助于提升人們的創(chuàng)造力，因為你給了自己空間去想出好主意。

2. Biting your nails

啃指甲

Researchers followed about 1,000 kids starting when they were five years old. When the kids were five, seven, nine, and 11, the researchers asked their parents whether they bit their nails or sucked their thumb. About one-third of the kids displayed one or both habits.

研究人員們從5歲開始對約1000名兒童進行了追蹤研究。當孩子們處于5歲、7歲、9歲和11歲時，研究人員詢問這些孩子的父母，他們是否會咬指甲或嘬手指。約三分之一的兒童有至少其中一種習慣。

When the kids were 13 and then 32 years old, the researchers performed allergy tests. Sure enough, the group that had habitually bit their nails and/or sucked their thumb as kids were less likely to have developed allergies.

當這些孩子長到13歲和32歲時，研究人員對他們進行過敏測試。結果發(fā)現(xiàn)有咬指甲或（和）嘬手指習慣的孩子，更不容易過敏。

At the same time, one of the study authors advised parents not to encourage nail-biting or thumb-sucking in their kids.

與此同時，該論文作者建議父母們不要鼓勵孩子們咬指甲或者嘬手指。

While nail-biting doesn't typically cause long-term damage, it can damage the skin around the nail, making you more susceptible to infections. Meanwhile, if thumb-sucking continues past when a kid's permanent teeth come in, it can change how the teeth line up.

雖然咬指甲不會造成長期損傷，但會破壞指甲周圍的皮膚，讓人更容易感染。此外，在換牙之前嘬手指會影響牙齒的排列。

3. Running late

遲到

Being chronically tardy can interfere with both your personal and professional relationships, making you look disorganized or worse, disrespectful.

總是遲到會影響你的個人和職場人際關系，給人留下散漫甚至是不尊重他人的印象。

不過遲到也許并不是你的本意，而是因為你對自己太過自信。據(jù)《紐約時報》援引心理學作家戴安娜?狄隆佐的話稱：

"Many late people tend to be both optimistic and unrealistic and this affects their perception of time. They really believe they can go for a run, pick up their clothes at the dry cleaners, buy groceries and drop off the kids at school in an hour."

“很多愛遲到的人都比較樂觀，且不切實際，這影響了他們的時間觀念。他們真的認為，自己可以在一小時之內完成跑步、到干洗店取衣服、買日用品以及去送孩子到學校的工作。”

In other words, late people hope for and expect the best - which can be a double-edged sword in daily life.

換句話說，愛遲到的人總是做最好的打算，而這在日常生活中可能是把雙刃劍。

4. Complaining

抱怨

No one wants to be that friend who goes on and on about his annoying coworker, the rain, and the lousy service at the restaurant where he just ate.

沒有人想要不停向朋友抱怨自己的同事有多討厭、雨下得有多惱人，或者自己用餐的飯店服務有多差。

Meanwhile, recent research cited in The Atlantic found that those who complain more mindfully - meaning they have a specific end result in mind - are happier than those who simply vent.

不過，《大西洋月刊》上一項新的研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，更加慎重抱怨的人（這種人的腦海中有一個明確的終極結果），比那些單純宣泄的人更快樂。

If you need to complain, there's a way to express some negativity without turning off everyone around you or exacerbating the situation. According to psychologist Guy Winch, there's a "right" way to gripe.

如果你需要抱怨，有一種方法既可以抒發(fā)負面情緒，又不會讓周圍的人感到厭煩或讓情況惡化。據(jù)心理專家蓋伊?溫奇稱，抱怨也是有“正確”的方法的。

"An effective complaint is about an issue that can be remedied, and is addressed to someone who has the power to fix it."

“有效的抱怨會圍繞一個可以補救的問題進行，而且抱怨的對象要是有能力處理這個問題的人。”

5. Chewing gum

嚼口香糖

It's rude to do it in a job interview, so don't. But when you're sitting alone, it could be a key to productivity and relaxation.

在面試時吃口香糖是一種無禮的行為，千萬不要這樣。不過如果你獨自待著，嚼口香糖是一種提高效率、放松心情的好辦法。

Multiple studies suggest that chewing gum helps you feel more alert - one study even found that people who chewed gum performed better on an intelligence test than people who didn't.

許多研究認為，嚼口香糖能讓你的思維更敏捷，甚至還有研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，嚼口香糖的人在智力測試中的表現(xiàn)會比沒有嚼口香糖的人更好。

Other research suggests that chewing gum boosts mood and reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

也有研究認為，嚼口香糖能夠讓人心情舒暢，降低壓力荷爾蒙皮質醇水平。

6. Keeping a messy desk

桌面凌亂

If piles of papers are toppling over onto your coworker's desk, it might be time to tidy up.

如果你的一堆文件已經(jīng)要倒向同事的辦公桌上了，那么可能是時候整理一下。

But assuming you can keep your mess to yourself, there could be benefits to the disorganization. Recent research suggests that messiness prompts people to be more goal-oriented because we're motivated to seek order somewhere.

但如果你沒有影響到別人，那么這種混亂可能對你有益。最近的研究表明，邋遢讓人更有目標，因為這促使我們在別的方面追求秩序。

In other words, simply the sight of a sloppy workspace could make you more productive.

換句話說，表面上看起來亂糟糟的工作空間會讓你效率更高。

7. Fidgeting

坐姿不安分

Again, when you're in a meeting with your boss, it's not the best idea to be squirming in your seat.

再說一次，如果你是去見老板，那這可不是一個好主意。

But tapping your leg or wiggling your fingers while you're seated at your desk could help you stay healthy. One study found that women who reported fidgeting more while at work had a lower mortality risk than women who said they fidgeted less.

但如果你是坐在辦公桌前，手腳扭來扭去可能有助于保持健康。一項研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，自稱工作時動來動去的女性比坐姿比較老實的女性死亡風險更低。

In fact, fidgeting seemed to make the association between long sitting times and mortality disappear.

事實上，坐姿不安分似乎使得久坐時間與死亡風險之間不再相關。

8. Gossiping

八卦

No, this is not an excuse to invite your best friend over to bash your other best friend's new haircut.

你不能以此為借口，讓一位好朋友去吐槽另一位好朋友的新發(fā)型。

Research suggests that gossiping in order to help someone else can make you feel better.

研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，以幫助他人為目的的八卦可以讓你感覺更好。

9. Daydreaming

白日做夢

In 2010, researchers published some attention-getting findings suggesting that mind-wandering can make you unhappy.

2010年，研究人員公開了一些引人注目的發(fā)現(xiàn)，他們認為心不在焉會讓人不開心。

But spending a few minutes deliberately letting yourself zone out can also make you more productive and creative.

但有意讓自己走神幾分鐘也能提升你的效率和創(chuàng)造力。

For example, one study cited in The Harvard Business Review found that allowing your mind to wander for about 12 minutes while you're working on a difficult task can help you find a solution when you return to it.

例如，《哈佛商業(yè)評論》上刊登的一項研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，當你在解決難題時，讓自己走神12分鐘左右后再回神，有助于找到答案。

10. Using filler words

用無意義的詞

Um, so it sounds totally uNPRofessional to, uh, use filler words in every sentence, right?

呃，每句話中都加上語氣詞，會讓你看起來很不專業(yè)，對吧？

But a recent Quartz article highlights research that suggests words such as "um" and "uh" help listeners understand and remember what you're saying.

但Quartz上最近發(fā)布的一篇文章強調，研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，“嗯”、“啊”之類的詞有助于聽眾理解和記住你的話。