How to Stop Wasting Your Time

We all know that time is money, but let’s be realistic. No matter how hard we try to stay productive, we all still end up scrolling through our social media feed, reading articles about the Kardashians, or entering the void of endless scrolling through TikTok. Then, in a blink of an eye, the day is already over.

Just like that, you’ve spent another day without getting closer to developing that new side hustle, starting your fitness journey, or reaching goals that will help you achieve your dream life.

Especially in this past year, as many of us have worked from home, we have even more distractions to avoid.

Though, with small habits, it can be easy to increase your productivity. Good time management is essential in your journey to achieve personal or professional goals.

So let’s not waste any more time! Here are a few simple tips that will help you stay organized and productive.

1. Have a plan for your day

It’s hard to use your time efficiently when you don’t know what you are supposed to accomplish each day. I know — shocking.

When I have a busy day ahead of me, I like to create a checklist of everything that I want to accomplish before the end of the workday. That way, you are not wasting time wondering what to do next.

From the moment you get out of bed to when you decide to call it a day, you should have a clear idea of what you need to accomplish. Plus, checking tasks off of your list can help motivate you through the busiest of days.

One way to plan out your day is to time block. Many productivity gurus seem to use the time blocking method in their schedules.

Time blocking means that you block off certain parts of the day on your calendar and dedicate them to one specific activity. For example, you could commit 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. every morning to a workout routine, then 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. for meetings. Time blocking repeats the same schedule every day.

Though, I have found that this method does not work for me. Realistically, I need my day-to-day schedule to stay more flexible. Things might come up during the day that could interfere with your repeated schedule, which can make time blocking rather stressful.

The point of planning your day is to alleviate your stress, not add to it! That said, instead of time blocking the same tasks every day, I like to create a new schedule to fit the needs of each day.

While I still block out specific times of the day to specific tasks, I tailor my schedule to include that day’s specific to-do list. That way, you can intentionally schedule your day and accomplish exactly what you need that day.

Whether you use traditional repeated time blocking, block each day as it comes, or stick with a simple checklist, creating a plan and sticking to it is a full-proof way to maximize your time management.

2. Set deadlines for yourself

So, you have your to-do list. That’s a great first step.

The second step is to give yourself a deadline for each task. To do this, make sure every item on your to-do list is very specific.

For example, don’t just write down “respond to email.” If you have 50 unread emails in your inbox, you could respond to two emails and call it a day. That isn’t very productive.

Instead, your to-do list should look like, “respond to all unread email before 2 p.m.” Having specific goals and deadlines will prioritize your tasks to ensure that the most important tasks are handled first.

3. Outsourcing your tasks.

This step is inspired by the concept called the “opportunity cost.” Haven’t heard the term before? Here is an example that I learned in college that never fails to give me a laugh.

We will use Tom Brady as an example. Let’s say Tom Brady wakes up one day and realizes that he needs to mow the lawn, which will take him about one hour to do. If he hires somebody to do it, it would cost about $50 for an hour of work.

So, the average person might do it themselves and save $50. Except, we are talking about Tom Brady. Brady is estimated to make about 1.5 million an hour as a professional NFL player.

Wouldn’t it be smarter wiser Brady to focus on football for the hour that it would have taken him to mow the lawn? He would be making more money on football than the money he would save mowing the lawn himself.

Sure, this is an extreme example that is not entirely realistic, but you see what I mean. If you have little responsibilities that take more time than they are worth, you should consider outsourcing work to somebody else. Then, you could use that time you free up to focus on something that will bring greater rewards.

For example, you can hire somebody to run your social media so that you can focus on developing more critical aspects of your business. Or, you can pay a kid in your neighborhood to walk your dog while you cold call potential clients.

Someone invented washers and dryers to save us time and energy. You’ve got better things to do! Don’t limit yourself by not using your resources.

4. Do things simultaneously.

We left best for last. Let’s talk about multitasking.

Over the past few years, more and more people have voiced opinions against multitasking. They argue that trying to “do it all” negatively affects your focus and leads to you accomplishing less. Trying to balance too much can become counterintuitive.

Though, I suggest multitasking with responsibilities that do not require too much mental focus. If you do laundry in a shared space — like at your apartment or a laundromat — don’t just sit in front of the washer for forty minutes. You could maximize your time while you wait for your clothes to be ready.

Instead, set an alarm on when you want to be back by and use that time to run other errands — grab your mail, sweep the floors, take out the trash, or whatever else you can do during those thirty-ish minutes. Then, go back to grab your laundry once your alarm goes off.

Not wasting this time is one way to multitask without compromising your focus.

Hopefully, this article gave you some good tips on how to avoid wasting your time. Boosting your productivity can significantly improve your life and your attitude. With these easy tips, you should be on your way to using your time wisely in no time.

For more information on how to increase your productivity, check out my YouTube video here!