Skip to main content

12 Time Wasters and How to Avoid Them

So you want to know how to stop wasting time? May these 12 ways help you!

People waste time on what I call useless activities, like by chatting unnecessary or spending minutes (that convert into hours) on the internet, clicking on one link to another. Meanwhile, they miss things that can actually add a value to their day, such as finishing off the work at hand, or doing something proactive.

We're often tempted to slide a few minutes (for me, it’s always five) to take a break and do something recreational. However, these minutes always take at least 10, and before we realise, precious time gets wasted. Take a look at how you use up — and waste — your time. Check your activities against this list:


  1. Facebook, Linkedin & Twitter — No need to really explain what these sites do to any of you. If you’re reading this blog, you are smart enough to know how social media, when followed rigorously, can be a huge waste of time.  
  2. Emails: Wise men say “Don’t start off your day with emails”, and I think they are right. Over reliance on emails, refreshing your inbox every five minutes is a colossal waste of time. Reply your not-so-urgent emails after lunch hours because that’s the time mind starts to wander for “juices” to keep the creativity going.
  3. Self Grooming: The way you look is important. Put your time and effort to groom yourself before you step out, but spending more than five minutes on it is a way to bomb time.
  4. Exercise: A workout session that runs into two hours is a waste. The researches say you can burn more calories in a rigorous 25-30 minute session.
  5. Excessive Talking: If you like to explain your viewpoint to everyone you talk you, you become responsible for wasting their (and yours too!) time. Additionally, such forced-listeners will spend 91%  of their time during the talk to daydream.
  6. Games – First it was Angry Birds, then came Candy Crush and now Flappy Bird… I agree playing games is recreations but  how about timing yourself? You might also want to look at your log of the past few weeks to see how much time did you literally waste on it.
  7. Online Videos: YouTube videos take three-five minutes to download, another five minutes to play, all to listen/see something that you probably wouldn’t even remember after two hours. Organizations lose over $50 million per year (in wasted salaries) on this, not to count the value of time that you as an individual lost.
  8. Multitasking: The buzz word of the last decade has everyone thinking that they are good at juggling multiple jobs at the same time. The truth is we are not. All human beings, with an exception of a few specially made ones, are most productive when we concentrate on one thing at a time. Don’t believe me? Think about any such day when you rushed from one job to another and thought you got too much done only to realize in the evening that your “to-do” list doesn't has anything you can cut it from.

Worth your time, for a one time read 

Comments

Supriya Mahapatra said…
This is a topic that’s close to my heart… Cheers!
Where are your contact details though?
Hacker's Hacker said…
Thanks for any other great article. Where else may just anyone get that type of info in such a perfect means of writing? I’ve a presentation subsequent week, and I’m at the search for such info.
Samantha said…
Great Read.
Mind I say that your writings remind me of my youth when I was so much filled with enthusiasm. The excitement is still there, but the age has finally caught on.
Sujeeta Nair said…
I have always trusted your advice and willing to do the same in the present. Thank you so much for being the best reading source I have ever found in my life.

Popular posts from this blog

Demystifying The 4:00 am Morning Routine

What happens when you get up early? That’s a question I have researched many times. I like getting up early and knowing that it does good for my body & mood; I get that extra strength to keep this habit. In this article, I explore some of the deeper mysteries of how the mind works when it is activated earlier than usual. Hope you feel as inspired reading it as much as I loved writing it. Making the morning routine To those who can get up early without setting alarm, I say you are blessed. Not many have that much of control over the self. To me, the greatest thing that made me develop this habit was reframing my idea of it. I had tried everything. From putting up a running gear in bed for the morning to setting puzzles as the alarm on the phone, I did it all. Some days I got up before the alarm even rang, but other days were a pain. I slogged out of bed, put down the alarm, and slept again. The intoxicating morning sleep had me in its ever-long grasps. Every night I wo

Kasab - Our National Guest

Mumbai attacks, The Burning Taj and Kasab Our national guest - Ajmal Amir Kasab has turned 2 in our custody. People celebrate birthdays but we will celebrate this anniversary by opening our borders, by applauding our enemies and by sending a lists of wanted terrorists to our dear neighbour, most of whom are already with us.  Well folks, that's India. We'll keep Ajmal Amir Kasab as our guest. Who cares if he killed people. They get killed everyday. India loves you darling. Our slogan is - "Atithi Devo Bhava". Your stay expenses are on us. Please eat, sleep and live a relaxed life. After all, how many of your brothers get a chance to shed innocent blood? Kasab ji and his wishes  India is a rich state. We have given you lawyer for free. We will give you all the comforts till you live. We don't have money to feed our own people but don't worry. You are our nation's priority so we give you security which is more than what 99% of Indians & forei

International Literacy Day