Eliminate Wasted Time

Everyone wastes time. However, accomplishing a goal requires that you use your time wisely. The more time you have available, the more quickly you can achieve your goal.

Many of us believe that we have an inadequate amount of free time to accomplish anything relevant. But typically, that’s untrue. You’ll likely have enough time to focus on your goal if you eliminate your time-wasting behaviors.

Try these tips to get on track toward your goal:

1. Make a list of the activities you tend to do when you’re procrastinating, stressed, or bored. A few common examples include:

1. Watching television

1. Eating

1. Surfing the web

1. Texting

1. Posting on Twitter

1. Playing around on Facebook

1. Watching videos on YouTube

1. Napping

2. Recognize when you’re engaging in time-wasting behaviors. This will be challenging at first. We habitually turn to the same coping behaviors when we’re uncomfortable. It’s an unconscious decision.

3. Create some space when you catch yourself wasting time. Instead of letting yourself continue with your time-wasting activity, just stop. Interrupting the behavior is an important step to regaining control.

1. Ask yourself what you could be doing instead. Reflect on what will happen if you start wasting time.

1. Sometimes, you just need a minute to stop and process so you can get back on track. Give yourself a chance to make a better decision, rather than acting on autopilot. Remember that acting impulsively has led to your current situation.

4. Start doing what needs to be done. Do whatever is necessary to get started because that’s the biggest challenge. Many times, if you just begin, it’s easy to keep the momentum going.

Think about all the time you’re wasting on non-productive activities each day. If you waste an hour a day, that’s 365 hours per year. That’s the equivalent of more than nine 40-hour workweeks! What could you accomplish with that kind of time?

“We all have the same 24/7.

What we do with our time, becomes our priority.

Avoid priorities by default.”

― Patt Hollinger Pickett Ph.D