How to Do a Work Inventory by Terri Rimmer - originally published by Associated Content, 2007

If you're in recovery from drinking or drugs at some point it may be necessary to write a Step 4 work inventory based on the 12 Steps of A.A. (Source: Alcoholics Anonymous).

For instance, if you have a pattern of quitting or getting fired when you put issues down in writing things become clearer.

You might see patterns of laziness, hostility, gluttony, problems with authority figures, sabotaging your position, acting out on the job, lying, cheating, stealing, and causing harm with excessive gossip among other behaviors. You may see that positions you have held did not fit you so you might have subconsciously sabotaged your job so you had an excuse to move on. People in recovery have a pattern often of job hopping. You can write about how you might have panhandled on the job or made others feel uncomfortable with your conduct. You could think about how you handled yourself during meetings, conferences, workshops or just in your daily duties. You can assess whether you worked at half-steam or with a real commitment. (Source: AA).

If you're in a job you're not happy with or one that you don't feel is your calling you might sabotage your job hoping to find something better. Then you quit or get fired, wind up broke, and regret what you did only to start over and do it again after swearing you'd never let it happen again. This happens over and over. Maybe you have ADD and you get bored easily at work doing the same repetitive things. So, instead of finding a way to make the job fun or bearable, you start plotting your escape. Then your mind is not on your work and your work suffers for it. This, in turn, affects your co-workers possibly, and your boss. (Source: Yvonne Johnson).

Some people think that they have a good work ethic if they've worked since they were a teenager but longevity does not always necessarily equal morals. Some job hoppers may think that the fact they've had so much experience looks good, but not always to a prospective employer. (Source: Careerbuilder.com).

If someone has indulged in any addiction their work can suffer when it comes to accuracy and stress will result. Some employees may have visions of grandeur on the job thinking that they're entitled to a promotion when, in reality, they haven't paid their dues. Then when they don't get the raise or new position they take their anger out with passive-aggressive behavior. (Source: Glass House).

You can write about all of the above by starting out listing all the positions you've held and in what capacity, in what fields. Then go through each occupation and list the amount of time you held each one, the problems you had on the job, the reasons you left, and what you could have done differently. Then you will spot patterns very easily.

Of course, all of us have had bad bosses at one time or another so we can't always say that every job we left was our fault every single time. (Bankrate.com).

Sometimes an employee might take after a parent and repeat the same job patterns.

You can also write about your career goals after you finish your work inventory. Then you can see where you've been and where you're headed. Take time also to write about what your fantasy jobs were and are and what you want/wanted. Reflect about how you think men and women should act on the job and think about old and new ideas around this area. Write about how you feel with regard to your job history. Journal about the people who have helped you along the way.

Lastly, come up with a new work ideal, something you aspire to be on the job that you can strive to be a day at a time.

These old destructive habits don't get solved overnight and for some, not at all no matter how hard they try.

But, at the very least you will have a picture of how you are at work and you will be given a gift some don't ever get - the gift of self-awareness.

You can work on not being passive-aggressive at work by going to earley.org/Patterns.