We all feel like we don’t have enough time. But most of us waste a lot more time each week than we care to admit 🤪
Unfortunately, the perfect timewaster is enjoyable, allows the time to fly by, and is highly distracting!
These days we have a lot of distractions that fit the bill of a perfect distraction. But timewasters are mostly habits that provide little to no meaningful reward for the time invested.
So why don’t you have a go at avoiding these timewasters and see if you can add more hours to your day to do what really matters to you…
- Clutter. Clutter is a huge timewaster. Everything seems to be in your way. It’s hard to find the things you need. It’s emotionally stressful, too. Have you ever noticed how peaceful a sparsely decorated room feels? You can create that same environment.
- Worrying. There’s no evidence that your thoughts impact the external world. You can worry all you want about the weather, your debt, or your relationship. Worrying only creates physical and emotional stress. It also makes you less productive and less capable of dealing with the issue.
- Perfectionism. Ask yourself how well something needs to be done and strive to attain that level of quality. Perfection is an impossible goal and requires far more time than it’s worth.
- Electronic devices. How much time do you spend each week watching TV, surfing the internet, or staring at your phone? Do you play video games? Count up all of that time and ask yourself if there’s something more productive you could be doing.
- Social media. In theory, social media is a great thing. But in practice, it takes up a lot of time and creates stress. If you aren’t ready for a zero diet of social media, try limiting what you do spend by “time-boxing”.
- Multi-tasking. The research shows it’s far more effective to do one thing at a time (sorry!) Refocusing your attention on multiple tasks takes time and destroys any momentum you’ve created.
- Commuting. A 30-minute drive to work adds up. That’s 250 hours a year, or the equivalent of over six 40-hour work weeks. That’s six weeks of vacation! Experiment with what you can do to use your commute more productively, like listening to informative or inspirational podcasts in the car or reading, journalling, sending emails on public transport.
- Maintaining your life. There are things that have to be done that don’t enhance our lives but merely maintain our lives. This includes tasks such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, cooking, and mowing the grass. If at all possible, pay or barter with others to perform these tasks for you!
- Indecision. If you lack clear direction, you’re likely to do nothing or worse procrastinate. Learn to make up your mind quickly. Make the best decision you can with the information you have at the time and get busy putting it into action.
- Meetings. Many meetings are a waste of time, and they can suck the happiness from your soul. An ineffective meeting is worse than not having a meeting at all. Plan appropriately for productive meetings and try to avoid the rest.
- No plan for the day. Having a plan for the following day before you go to bed is a great way to avoid wasting time. Make a plan at night or first thing in the morning and then spend the day working your plan.
- Fatigue. It’s hard to do your best work while tired. You work slower, make more mistakes, and have a decreased ability to focus and make wise decisions. Get your sleep! Taking breaks is another great way to recover or avoid mental fatigue. Schedule breaks into your workday.
Consider all the meaningful things you could accomplish if you could recoup your wasted time. Think about how much time you spend each week on unproductive activities. Eliminate as many of these timewasters as possible and reap the benefits!
If this has been useful for you, I’d love you to share it with your friends or anyone else you think may find it useful.
Remember, you can unleash your unique version of success!
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