# Which of your own habits do you find most irritating? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 25, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798 "2008-04-25T04:40:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/21 "2008-04-25T14:08:00Z")
Procrastination. I can find a thousand ways to fritter away time instead of doing things that need to be done (like now, when I’m online instead of doing housework, sorting out stuff, and preparing for my impending move). ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/22 "2008-04-25T14:15:09Z")
I procrastinate and bite my nails. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Walking\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90ced4/32.png) [@The\_Walking\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Walking_Dude)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/23 "2008-04-25T14:15:59Z")
Procrastin… meh, I’ll take care of this later. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/24 "2008-04-25T14:31:25Z")
[QUOTE=The Walking Dude] Procrastin… meh, I’ll take care of this later. [/QUOTE] Well, when you take it later please remember that: _Prolonged erection greater than 4 hours and priapism (painful erections greater than 6 hours in duration) have been reported infrequently since market approval of PROCRASTIN. In the event of an erection that persists longer than 4 hours, the patient should seek immediate medical assistance. If priapism is not treated immediately, penile tissue damage and permanent loss of potency could result._ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Walking\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90ced4/32.png) [@The\_Walking\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Walking_Dude)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/25 "2008-04-25T14:37:51Z")
[QUOTE=bbs2k] Well, when you take it later please remember that: _Prolonged erection greater than 4 hours and priapism (painful erections greater than 6 hours in duration) have been reported infrequently since market approval of PROCRASTIN. In the event of an erection that persists longer than 4 hours, the patient should seek immediate medical assistance. If priapism is not treated immediately, penile tissue damage and permanent loss of potency could result._ [/QUOTE] :smack: Since you put it that way… I’ll be in my bunk. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/26 "2008-04-25T14:42:31Z")
I talk really loud sometimes. I can usually remember to tone it down when I see people looking at me like my face just grew a third eye. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/27 "2008-04-25T14:59:49Z")
[QUOTE=TroubleAgain] I chew on the inside corners of my mouth, which is painful and distorts the face in an unpleasant way. [/QUOTE] THIS! I hate it when people come up on me suddenly because I’ve always got half my lip in my teeth, or I’m twisting my face up in some godawful way to nibble at the inside of my cheeks. Plus, my teeth hurt. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/28 "2008-04-25T15:22:23Z")
Two things that are actually opposite of each other. I have to force myself not to get super focused on things. I have all kinds of equipment and books and bookmarked links on new hobbies or interests. I spent lots of time doing/learning about said thing, then dropped it, and will probably never pick it up again. On the other hand, I almost never just watch tv or read a book. I end up sort of doing both at the same time, only to realize that I have no idea what I just read/listened to. If I put down the book/turn of the television, and try to just focus on one thing, my mind starts wandering too much, and I have to stop. It drives me crazy, because it wasn’t always like this. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/29 "2008-04-25T15:54:34Z")
Both sides now. I can’t see an upside without looking for the downside, and vice versa. It drives me batty, and very likely all the people around me too. If everyone is hacking on someone or something, I’ll come to their defense, though I have nothing invested either way. There are times when this is an okay way to be, but sometimes it’s extremely irritating. Oh, yeah, and procrastinating too. Definitely got that in spades. (I should be cleaning house, planning dinner, job searching or doing yard work, but I’m sitting here doing this!) ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/30 "2008-04-25T16:09:40Z")
I curse a lot and chew the insides of my mouth, as others have said. Somehow I manage to do neither while I’m “in the zone” working, so it’s never really been anything other than a personal annoyance. Ok, the cursing doesn’t really bother me that much but it’s hard to hold my tongue when the kids are around. 'Specially since my parents never bothered. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/31 "2008-04-25T16:33:05Z")
Nail biting, procrastination, lack of followthrough - even on things I really want to do. A lot of my problem is sheer laziness and it pisses me off. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/32 "2008-04-25T17:37:32Z")
It seems like I’m in good company here. I can’t get myself to do stuff, even stuff I want to do. I procrastinate. I leave projects to the last minute. If something is hard, I make excuses to get out of it. I let things pile up. I’m mostly recovered from social anxiety, but I still make excuses to get out of new situations. Where’s our magic brain machine that’ll fix this stuff? ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/33 "2008-04-25T17:41:46Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] THIS! I hate it when people come up on me suddenly because I’ve always got half my lip in my teeth, or I’m twisting my face up in some godawful way to nibble at the inside of my cheeks. Plus, my teeth hurt. [/QUOTE] I’m not alone! Someone snapped a picture of me at \*\*galen ubal \*\* and **rothe’che** ’s wedding and I was doing that. It made me look like an idiot. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/34 "2008-04-25T17:57:02Z")
I tend to procrastinate. For instance, right now I should be cleaning my house, but I’ve frittered the last couple of hours away here on the Dope. I don’t know why I procrastinate. It’s a terrible habit that I started about 10 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/35 "2008-04-25T18:52:39Z")
When speaking, I often end a sentence with “but…” or “and…” and just trail off. I can control it when I focus on it, but I always get lazy and slip back into the pattern, but… ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/36 "2008-04-25T19:14:02Z")
Lately, in the last year or two, I’ve picked up the habit of saying, “yeah” to begin a sentence. Yeah it’s starting to bug me. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/37 "2008-04-25T19:16:28Z")
I spend too much time on the internet. I’ll jump online right after work just to check my email and see what’s going on at the Dope, and before I know it hours have passed and I’m depressed, tired, and hungry. Once I’m on the web it’s really hard to notice anything else or break away. I’ve been sitting here about 45 minutes thinking about how starving I am. The kitchen is ten feet away, but I have ‘‘just one more thread’’ syndrome. I have a lot of habits that irritate me, though. This is just the one affecting my life at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/38 "2008-04-25T19:50:33Z")
I say I’m sorry too much. Sometimes I even start sentences with “I’m sorry.” Talk about a good way to a) lose credibility and b) make it mean that much less when I really AM sorry. Occasionally I get “Poor Me” syndrome. Even if it’s sometimes understandable, it only allows me to focus on what’s bothering me instead of improving my situation or solving the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/39 "2008-04-25T20:20:07Z")
I chew on my tongue. And whenever I see mushrooms growing, I have to kick them over. It’s a weird compulsion. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798/40 "2008-04-25T20:32:10Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] All in all, I talk to the radio too much. [/QUOTE] I do that too. Usually in the morning, listening to the news. My wife will hear me from the other room and yell “What?” And I’ll yell back “I’m talking to the radio!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-your-own-habits-do-you-find-most-irritating/446798.md?page=3)