Using your phone while talking to someone.

Sure, it may seem like a minor thing to you, but if you're pulling out your phone while talking to someone, you're almost certainly getting on their nerves by doing so. According to a survey conducted by late academic PM Forni, co-founder of the Johns Hopkins Civility Project, and the University of Baltimore's Jacob France Institute, using a cell phone mid-conversation was named among the top 10 rudest behaviors by survey respondents. 

Not muting your background noise during meetings

It may not bother you, but that noise you're letting your whole workplace hear during online meetings is definitely annoying to everyone else. According to an April 2020 survey conducted by answering service company Moneypenny, among 800 full-time office workers polled, not muting during meetings was identified as the most annoying habit their coworkers engaged in.

Wearing too much perfume or cologne

You may like the scent of that new fragrance, but that doesn't mean everyone around you does. According to a survey conducted by Stratus Building Solutions, 51 percent of individuals polled said they'd found themselves olfactorily offended by a coworker's fragrance, making it the most annoying or distracting behavior among those polled. However, not all bad behaviors are entirely your fault: You May Have Your In-Laws to Blame For This Bad Habit, Study Says.

Using all caps

Of course, you want to get your point across, but using all capital letters isn't the way to do it—and doing so is definitely annoying other people. According to a 2020 study from HR tech company Perkbox, 67 percent of respondents said that getting an email with all caps in it was annoying to them.

Putting your bag down on a seat

Think that purse is too precious to sit on your lap? Make no mistake: taking up an extra seat with your bag is annoying others. In fact, according to a 2018 survey conducted by the Japan Private Railway Association, respondents named this the most annoying behavior they saw on public transportation. And for more great information delivered to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

Humblebragging

We all have days when we're eager to share a personal victory, but don't know how to bring it up without sounding like we're patting ourselves on the back. Unfortunately, in many cases, what comes out is worse: the humblebrag, or "backdoor brag," a way of boasting without outright saying what you're proud of. For instance: "I had to hire a housekeeper because my new house is just too big for me to take care of alone."