Top 5 Time Wasters
December 5, 2006 · Print This Article
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Here is my top 5 list of items that can waste my time without achieving anything of real value. These aren’t necessarily bad things, they are just areas where it is easy to lose precious time without realizing it. Everyone has their own top 5 list of time wasters. If you would like to share yours please do so in the comments below.
- Television - It is very easy to lose a few hours
mindlessly flipping through channels on the remote. For many people a
subscription in something like NetFlicks will provide a ready source of
entertainment with out dealing with commercials. Also with watching a
specific movie, you have a definite end point unlike channel surfing
that can go on for hours.
- Commute - Especially with an hour commute, it is easy to
lose weeks worth of time each year one day at a time. You may not be
able to do away with your commute entirely, but you can at least put
your travel time to good use by listening to lectures or even making
phone calls to keep in touch with family.
- Internet Browsing - The internet can be a powerful tool,
but it is easy to slip in to channel surfing mode and waste time just
like using the television. Using RSS readers and bookmark tools can
help you focus your browsing to help you acquire information not simply
pass the time.
- Being Tired - A lot of times we operate well below our
capabilities because we are tired. By going to bed when we are tired
and getting up when we are rested we can put more concentrated effort
toward things that are really important to us. Allowing our body to
sleep when it is tired keeps us from wasting time trying to perform
when we are physically unable to operate at our full potential. - Lack of Skill - Attempting to do things where we lack the
skill or knowledge is a huge waste of time. This isn’t to say that it
is bad to try to learn new things, but attempting to change the
plumbing in your basement without spending the proper amount of time
investing in your own education about the process is a recipe for
disaster. There are some times where doing it yourself can be the most
expensive option in terms of time and money.
Here’s an interesting experiment: what if you measured your top 5 time wasters during the day, not in an effort to minimize them, but just to see how much time you spend feeding the beast? You could do the same thing with the top 5 time savers.
Interesting article. I thought I’d share my personal solution for #1 and #3. At the beginning of each season, I look at all the new shows that are outlined in the TV Guide and decide which ones I’m going to watch. I have two (occasionally three) VCRs that I use to tape things and at least one that I designate for “watching” tapes. (The VCRs are in different rooms attached to different TVs). At the beginning of each week, I make sure the shows I want to record are new ones and I check to see if there’s anything special or unusual that I also want to tape. A few years ago I created a table with time slots, so I just print out the taping schedule for the week and make sure all the VCRs are set. I’ve labeled my blank tapes (1, 2, 3, A, B, C, A1, A2, A3, etc.) so I just make a note in the box of what tape those particular shows are recorded on for the week. Now whenever I want to watch TV (which is usually only when I’m exercising, ironing, folding laundry, grading papers, etc.) I can go straight to a show I’ve taped and fast forward through all the commercials. Also, since I can rewind and pause, it’s easier to multi-task without worrying about missing something important.
As far as internet browsing, that’s more of a problem for me, especially with cool sites like this one
Seriously, though, I read one article, which points me to another one, etc. So to make sure I don’t get “sucked” in, I set a timer for 15 minutes. When the time is up, I go back to being productive. I randomly treat myself to these 15 minute internet breaks throughout the day, and the timer helps keep me on track so that I don’t lose all track of time.