Do you ever feel like there isn’t enough time in a day to do everything you need and want to do? Life is busy, and we all feel overwhelmed from time to time. However, if this is a constant struggle, it may be causing you a lot of stress, which is wildly unhealthy if it is prolonged.
To help clear up some time in your day, and give you some peace of mind, you may want to consider quitting the following 19 time wasters.
1. Hitting the snooze button
Nearly all of us have rolled over and hit the snooze button on our alarms in the morning at some point: just five more minutes of sleep, please! However, that five minutes often turns into ten minutes, or even fifteen. Over time, those minutes add up.
If you get up right away in the morning without hitting snooze, you’ll likely feel less rushed, and you’ll get your day off to a good start, allowing you to be more productive.
2. Constantly checking social media
We all know that Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets are among the biggest time leeches on this planet right now. There’s nothing wrong with catching up with friends on social media, or posting announcements and photos, but if you’re checking and posting constantly, you’re likely wasting an enormous amount of time.
Try to limit the number of times you check social media each day. Or, set yourself a time where you will check it, and stay logged out for the rest of the day. If you do this, you’ll likely find yourself much less distracted.
3. Constantly checking emails
Constant email-checking is akin to constant social media checking. Many of us have an itch to respond to emails right away, to make sure we’re on top of everything. Sometimes this is necessary for work, if there is an important project or situation unfolding, but much of the time, those emails can wait.
Whenever possible, try to finish the task you are working on before checking your emails. Also, resist the urge to check work emails after business hours; you’re only stressing yourself out, and taking away from time with your family and friends.
4. Binge-watching TV
While it’s okay to indulge in your favorite show from time to time, binge-watching is a habit that many people get into. Along with wasting a lot of time, it usually involves long periods of sitting, which can be harmful to your health.
Instead of zoning out to Netflix, make a list of everything else you could be getting done in that time. You could do something creative, take a walk with a friend, etc. There are so many more healthy possibilities than watching continuous TV.
5. Getting sucked into YouTube videos
Another famous time-sucker is the ongoing pull of YouTube videos. Cute cats, extreme sports, music videos… you name it, it’s on YouTube. Try not to get too addicted to these; you can waste a lot of time on the endless stream.
6. Taking too many photos
Photos are a great way to capture memories, but if you’re constantly taking them, you’re probably not enjoying your experiences to the fullest. Plus, uploading them, posting them, organizing them and commenting on them takes up a lot of time. Â
Not everything needs to be documented for posterity — try to enjoy the moment more often, without clicking the camera button.
7. Standing in coffee shop lines
Getting coffee from a coffee shop every morning is not only expensive, but also time consuming. Just think of those lines, and the time it takes a barista to make your drink. To save both time and money, just make it at home! You can even make it the night before and set it to brew in the morning.
8. A messy workspace
If your workspace is a mess, you’re likely spending a lot of time finding what you’re looking for. This can greatly delay the tasks you are trying to accomplish. Cleaning and organizing may take an initial chunk of time, but if you keep it organized, you’ll save a lot of time in the long run.
9. Too much clutter
Just as with a messy workspace, a cluttered home can lead to a lot of stress, a lot of lost items and a lot of wasted time. Go through your home and get rid of the things that you and your family don’t want or need, and organize the rest. It may take some doing, but once it’s done, things will run much more efficiently.
10. Procrastinating
If you have a habit of putting things off until the last minute, it’s likely that you won’t get everything done. This can waste a lot of time as you scramble to finish everything in one chunk, and will probably result in a lower quality of work. Plus, the time you spend distracting yourself from the task at hand can cause an undercurrent of stress.
11. Overanalyzing the past
While it’s great to learn lessons from your past, if you’re spending a lot of time thinking about it, analyzing it and living in it, it’s time to get back to the present. The past is over; focus on the moment, and what you need to do now. We can only go forward.
12. Worrying about the future
Planning for the future is a healthy and smart thing to do, but if you obsess about things that haven’t happened yet, or try to shape your future down to the minute details, you are not really efficiently using your time, as the future hasn’t happened yet. No one can control what will be down to the last detail.
Have a plan, but remind yourself to live in the present. The present is where things get accomplished.
13. Judging others
If you spend your time picking apart the lives of others, and gossipping about them, not only are you being mean, you’re wasting time. Even if it feels harmless, there’s no use for it, and there are a lot better things you could be doing with your day.
14. Judging yourself
Some people don’t judge others, but rather spend a lot of time harshly criticizing themselves. This is a total waste of time, as you’ll just delve deeper and deeper into negativity and demotivate yourself.
Instead, focus on giving yourself positive messages. Recognize when you need to change, and do so, but then move on and don’t be too hard on yourself.
15. Spending hours on your appearance
If you have a special event to attend, it makes sense to spend a little extra time getting ready. However, if you’re spending hours in front of the mirror on a regular basis, it may be time to reconsider your beauty regime. You’re naturally beautiful the way you are, and all of that primping time could certainly be put to better use.
16. Obsessing about perfection
If you’re a perfectionist when it comes to your work, your home or any other aspect of your life, it may be time to ask yourself if you’re taking it too far. Striving for excellence is great, but when it reaches obsessive levels, sometimes you need to let go and let your best be enough.
17. Running around without a schedule
If you don’t have a schedule, you’re probably wasting tons of time, as you don’t have your time planned out. Simply making a schedule for yourself can save you a great deal of time, and worry. You’ll know exactly what you need to do, and when to do it.
18. Overbooking yourself
When you make your schedule, be careful not to overbook. Say no to non-essentials, and make sure you leave ample time in between tasks.
19. Not scheduling free time
Yes, not taking free time for yourself is a waste of time. Free time allows you to do what you love, and recharge your battery, so to speak. This time is critical for refreshing your mind, so that you can be more efficient in all of your tasks, and have more fun as well.
Did I miss anything? What other time wasters have you done away with?
— Tanya Rakhmilevich
