5 Most Time-Wasting Habits You NEED to Stop Doing.
Not every activity is productive. As a matter of fact, 80% of the things we do account for no success and are considered low-value. But the reason we do low-value activities is down to poor habits.
Even if you’re not aware of it, everything you do is down to a habit. Anything from making your bed to brushing your teeth is a habit. So to get the most work done and benefit in some way, you must stop doing these time-consuming habits.
But what are the most time-consuming habits you need to stop doing?
To reap the benefits of a productive and fulfilling life, here are the habits you need to eliminate from your daily routine. So, with all that said, let’s start.
Constantly Checking Social Media While Working
This is the worst time-wasting habit you need to stop. In addition, social media only exists as a distraction when working. Therefore, if there’s one habit you need to stop doing, that’s this one.
Consider the following, Americans check their phones as much as 344 times a day! On average, this accounts for 2 hours and 54 minutes. So even if you think those funny dog videos are worth your time, all they are is a distraction.
These distractions negatively impact your productivity while working. Therefore, you must get into the habit of quitting this habit for good.
Make it a priority to minimize or eliminate the habit while at work. For example, only check social media during breaks or at home. That way, you increase productivity and get more work done.
Taking Too Many Breaks
Breaks are essential for enhancing productivity. Experts recommend following a model of taking a five-minute break for every hour of work.
But it’s easy to get lost when you’re taking that many breaks. Furthermore, sometimes we feel like going on longer breaks despite following the model.
No matter how hard you try, these breaks do stack up. Then, once 3 PM comes, you get in the mood and don’t feel like working anymore.
So what’s the solution? While breaks are good for productivity, going overboard makes things much worse. Despite thinking it’s a good habitslimit how many breaks you take during working hours.
Go the extra mile and take breaks only when necessary. That way, you’re saving more time and getting more work done.
Having Too Many Hobbies
Having hobbies is generally a good thing. Hobbies are excellent for making time for yourself and offer a way to declutter your mind after a busy day.
But what hobbies also do is consume time. Now, having a few hobbies isn’t necessarily a problem. The issue is having too many hobbies that take up way too much time.
What you can do, instead, is focus on a few things. These can be hobbies that matter or are important to you to destress after a busy day or hobbies that can earn you money!
Investing your time in the latter will also benefit you financially, as who wouldn’t love making money from the things they love doing? Do a simple comparison to determine which hobbies should go and which should stay.
Write down all your hobbies and keep the most financially beneficial ones. As for the others, it’s time to say goodbye.
Planning Everything Before hand
Are you the sort of person who plans for everything? If so, how do you find the time to do other stuff?
Planning is a crucial component for a lot of things, both family and business-related. For example, you can’t start a family if you don’t plan for it.
But do you need to plan every mundane errand? Why can’t you just get in your car and do the shopping? Or, even better, why plan your next meal if you’re in a pickle when you can order takeout?
Don’t get us wrong, we love planning our lives, and we believe everyone should do it. But don’t be the person who feels insecure without planning every little thing.
Instead, escape the trap and free up some much-needed time for other tasks.
Not Having Clear Goals
What’s the point of doing anything if you don’t strive for something?
Wouldn’t that mean you’re just wasting your time for nothing? While not particularly a habit, not having goals is something everyone should avoid.
The reason why goals are important is that they provide a clear picture of what needs to be done. For example, a goal where you strive to earn a six-figure salary provides the motivation to succeed at your job or business.
But if you don’t have a goal related to your earnings, you’re just frittering away your time. Moreover, some goals are measurable. This means you can keep track of the progress.
For example, if you’re progressing toward achieving your goals, you gain extra motivation and determination to do better.
Remember that the plan is to be smart with your time. While it’s impossible to use every second of the day towards something bigger, remember that we can always be smart with our habits.
Final Thoughts on the Time-Wasting Habits You Need to Stop
Those were the five most time-wasting habits you need to stop doing.
Eliminating these habits from your life will allow you to use your time smartly. Of course, we’re not saying you shouldn’t check social media, take breaks from work, or not plan for every single thing.
We’re saying you should do better and work your way towards eliminating these time-consuming habits to the benefit of your life.
Author Bio
Erik Bergman co-founded Catena Media and helped it grew to over 300 employees and a $200 million valuation before stepping away to start great.coman iGaming organization that donates 100% of its profits to environmental charities.
In addition to running a successful online business, Erik also hosts the Becoming Great podcastshares entrepreneurship tips with his more than 1 million social media followers, and contributes to sites like Entrepreneuer.com, Business Insider, Founder, and Forbes.
Further reading:
5 Most Time-Wasting Habits You NEED to Stop Doing
*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
