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Time is precious. No matter how much we wish we could have more, there are only 24 hours in a day. Even though time is precious, wasting time can be a good thing. We all need to take breaks and spend time occasionally indulging in time-wasting things that help our brains and bodies refresh.
However, there are ridiculous ways you’re wasting your time that may be holding you back without you even realizing it. While taking some ‘you’ time and relaxing is rejuvenating, spending a lot of time doing unnecessary activities won’t help you move forward. It can also cause frustration and lead to burnout, as you find you don’t get tasks accomplished as quickly as you should.
To help you avoid these time pitfalls, we’ve compiled a list of 14 ridiculous ways you may be wasting your time and probably don’t even realize it.
Spending Too Much Time on Your Smartphone
Smartphones are great; they allow you to stay connected no matter where you are. You can take photos, check your email and social media feeds, and even play games. But it’s easy to waste hours a day on your smartphone without even realizing it. Time your smartphone usage for a couple of days; you’ll be amazed at how much time you’re actually wasting.
Commuting During Rush Hour
This might be unavoidable, but commuting during rush hour can mean you take twice as long to get where you need to go. If you can, shift your hours so you commute during a less busy time.
Constantly Checking Email
Emails can consume a lot of time, especially if you check your email and answer messages every five minutes. It takes time and means you’ll have to refocus on what you were doing before you checked your email. Save time by setting specific times throughout the day for processing emails.
Eating Too Much Junk Food
Junk food doesn’t provide your body with the nutrition and energy it needs to be productive. It can actually drain you, which means it’ll take you more time to complete tasks. Plenty of healthy snack options will help you stay energized and on track.
Answering a Call When Your Busy
You don’t have to answer every single phone call that comes in. And answering the phone when you’re busy doing something can kill your productivity. If you know the call isn’t urgent, let it go to voicemail and call them back when you’re not busy.
Always Using Apps and Gadgets
I love anything tech, and I’m the first person to want to try new apps and gadgets when they come out. But sometimes, trying too many is a waste of time as you have to test them and figure out which ones you want to use. Sometimes, a pen and paper are still the best option.
Doing Other People’s Tasks
There is absolutely nothing wrong with helping someone when they need it. But you shouldn’t spend so much time helping someone else that your own work and productivity suffer.
Social Media
This goes along with point 1, but deserves its own mention. Spending too much time refreshing Facebook or browsing Snapchat is a tremendous waste of time if you allow it to be. And it’s so easy to not realize how much time you spend updating and browsing those feeds. Try just allowing yourself to check in once or twice a day, and you’ll be amazed at how much time you save.
Not Automating Repetitive Tasks
If you find you’re doing the same task repeatedly, you can save time if you don’t have to start from the beginning every time. Spend a little time building templates, or ask someone more technical-minded to help you find solutions to automate part of the process.
Watching Too Much TV
Who doesn’t love sitting on the couch in the evening watching a little TV? But, it really is a waste of time and does nothing to help you reach your life goals. A good book can have the same relaxing effect and keep your brain more engaged.
Not Putting Things Where They Belong
This might seem trivial, but if you don’t put things where they belong, you may waste time having to hunt them down the next time you need them. It only takes a minute or two to ensure everything is in its place, and you’ll be able to grab things quickly whenever required.
Open Door Policy
There is nothing wrong with being friendly or having an open-door policy. But, if you’re being interrupted every few minutes, you’ll lose concentration and productivity. Set boundaries, shut the door, and silence the phone when you don’t want to be disturbed.
Multitasking
Many people think multitasking is great. They can do three or four things at a time. But can they do them well? Trying to split your attention between multiple tasks at the same time is something most people can’t do well. You’ll actually find you’re more productive if you do one thing at a time instead of bouncing between multiple jobs.
Not Scheduling Your Day
When you don’t have some type of schedule in place, you have to figure out what to do next every time you complete a task. A schedule doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, and you should be flexible when necessary, but having a rough plan in place will help you get through your day with more control over your time and more confidence.
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