By Ustaz Mark Bang
Time is our most precious resource, yet we often let it slip through our fingers unnoticed. Living in a world that is always on, where we are constantly bombarded by distractions, leaves us wondering where the hours go.
So, we will delve deep into the things that waste time, uncovering, sapping activities and providing strategies to break free from their grasp. What is a time-wasting activity? Time-wasting activities are actions, behaviors, or habits that consume a significant amount of your time without providing any meaningful or productive outcomes.
I have found that the simplest thing to do in life is waste time. It happens because we seldom realize that we even waste time and time doesn’t care. After all, it keeps moving not caring about those who utilize it or those who do not.
We wake up every morning and the first thing that comes to mind is to check tweets and other social media messages we may have missed from the previous day. By then we realize that we have spent a few hours checking tweets, we rush into the bath and without breakfast, most of the time rush off to work. Once we arrive at work, we spend about 30 minutes exchanging pleasantries or talking about Lionel Messi (God deliver me from that) and how Arsenal keeps losing her matches
Then we spend hours looking at emails and then work perhaps for an hour and by afternoon, we have strolled to grab some lunch. We check more emails because the food we eat sometimes doesn’t keep us in the mental state to achieve more at work and soon we are home, looking at the TV and perhaps watching sports before bedtime. My Life was like this at some point until I reflected and saw: How Broke I was becoming because I wasn’t applying myself properly to work, how the choir wasn’t growing from my end because I was not playing my part well, how my children missed out on several things I should have been teaching, and how we mismanaged the company because I wasn’t providing the right leadership
I have found that we never have ideas about how bad time-wasting can be until we are almost at the end of our lives or our functional lives and I am fortunate time.
These activities divert your attention and energy away from the tasks that are most important or valuable to you. In essence, they are activities that contribute little or nothing to your personal or professional development, and instead, they hinder your progress, productivity, and overall well-being. What characteristics do time-wasting activities have in common? Time-wasting activities can take many forms. They often vary from person to person as well, depending on your preferences, circumstances, and even your weaknesses. They do, however, have some common characteristics and these include the following: A Lack of Purpose – They typically lack a clear purpose, goal, or objective and are often driven by boredom or a desire to escape more challenging tasks. Minimal Value – These activities offer minimal or no tangible benefits, such as learning, personal growth, relaxation, or financial gain. They tend to be superficial and do not contribute to your long-term well-being or goals. Procrastination – Many time-wasting activities serve as a form of procrastination, allowing you to delay or avoid tasks you find daunting or unpleasant. Time-wasting activities are often mindless and repetitive, requiring little mental engagement from you. You may use them as a way to zone out or pass the time without having to put too much thought into it. Distraction – These activities often act as distractions from more important or productive things that you need to do. They can disrupt your focus and concentration, making it difficult to complete your tasks efficiently. Lack of Structure – These activities typically lack structure or boundaries, making it all too easy to lose track of time while engaging in them. For example, they may not have clear starting or stopping points. Time-wasting activities are sometimes used as a form of escapism to avoid facing challenges, responsibilities, or even negative emotions. You may find that they offer temporary relief but sadly they will not address the underlying issues. As I said above, what constitutes a time-wasting activity can vary from person to person. This is because some activities may be enjoyable, or even valuable, in moderation but become wasteful when they take up an excessive amount of your precious time. So, let’s look at some examples of time-wasting activities to help you identify them in your life.
Social media platforms have become part of our everyday lives and it is incredibly easy to lose hours scrolling through our feeds. What starts as a quick check-in can easily turn into a mindless scrolling session. Therefore, to regain control of your time, try to set specific limits on your social media usage and consider using an app to track your screen time. (2) Endless Email Checking Constantly refreshing your inbox may give you a false sense of productivity. However, doing this is just a time-sink. It is better to avoid jumping at every notification, as it disrupts your focus on more important tasks. Instead, dedicate specific times throughout the day when you have enough time to check and respond to your emails. (3) Mindless Web Surfing the internet is a treasure trove of information, but it is also a black hole for productivity! Be mindful of your web surfing habits and use website blockers or productivity apps to restrict access to time-wasting sites during times when you should be focusing on other things!
While it’s essential to relax and unwind, binge-watching TV shows or movies for hours on end can be a massive time-waster. Allocate specific time slots for entertainment and stick to them to prevent your leisure activities from bleeding into your responsibilities or, more likely, bedtime! Be vigilant in not missing that precious time when you could do anything better in life. “Public Staunchest Ally”.
The author of this article is a human writer activist, writer and professional teacher.