What do you feel about irritating and annoying mannerisms? Mannerisms are generally described as small movements, gestures, etc., that you do subconsciously and are part of your personality. Most people exhibit them when anxious, tired, happy, bored, nervous, impatient, scared, distracted, angry, upset, etc. In essence, they can indicate your true or hidden feelings and moods.

Most of the time you accept mannerisms as part of a person’s uniqueness. However, when they are displayed frequently and start to appear continuously they can become irritating and annoying. Here are some of the more common mannerisms in that category:

* Adjust spectacles
* Chew lips
* Clear throats
* Click fingernails
* Click pens on and off
* Crack knuckles
* Drum fingers
* Fiddle with watches
* Fidget in chairs
* Jingle coins or other objects in pockets
* Lick lips
* Nibble on fingernails
* Pick at fluff on clothes
* Play with rubber bands
* Pull up socks
* Push back nail cuticles
* Rotate rings on fingers
* Rub beards or moustaches
* Run fingers through hair
* Run tongue along teeth
* Say 'um' (or some other phrase) before sentences
* Scratch some part of the body
* Shake legs
* Straighten paperclips
* Tap feet
* Tap pens or pencils on the table
* Tug on ears
* Twirl hair around fingers
* Wind ankles in circles

Irritating and annoying mannerisms – How to spot your own

You may not be aware of your strange habits but they can be intensely irritating and annoying to others. It is not always easy to spot them yourself. If you really want to know if you demonstrate any, one way is to ask someone you truly trust to be totally honest with you about the whole subject. Alternatively, you can record yourself (audio or visual) and see what you spot yourself.

And why might this matter? Some mannerisms can be quite disconcerting to others. They can grate on people to the extent that personal, work, or business relationships can be affected. Also, it is often felt that the fewer distracting habits or mannerisms you have, the more confident and professional you appear.

Irritating and annoying mannerisms - Self development summary

This self development article has touched on some of the common mannerisms that irritate or annoy others. They are often accepted as a person’s uniqueness. At other times they can have a detrimental effect on relationships. Do you know what mannerisms you have?

To receive further articles do visit the 'FREE Self Development Newsletter' link below. For my Background, Passions, and why I write articles like these, see: Dr JOY Madden