7 Insightful Tips to Stop Wasting Time!

You are already late in the morning and started scrolling on social media feeds. That’s how it all begins the day. You are still browsing minutes after minutes, even one hour later. Breaks on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Quora go from “a few minutes” to “oh shit, I just wasted a couple of hours.” This is how we waste time on less productive things.

“Anyone who takes your time is a thief. Protect your time, it’s what makes up your life.”

― J.R. Rim

So, If you are willing to stop wasting time and want to get your momentum back, start by identifying the interruptions that cause procrastination.

Keep time-tracking and get rid of distractions like phones, avoid checking news feeds. To help you to stop wasting time, here are my top 7 strategies for those who struggle with time management and procrastination.

How to stop wasting time on unimportant things?

1. Set goals and meet deadlines

Vision is everything, Without it, you can not figure out what are you going. Probably you will end up somewhere else in your life.

Setting a smart personal goal might help you overcome procrastination by providing you something to focus on that is more manageable.

A clear vision or cause for accomplishing whatever it is you’re doing is really mattering to stop wasting time.

You can also read: 5 Effective Smart Goal Setting Rules For Personal Life

Short deadlines also can provide you with the incentive you require to complete your work on time.

Because you only have one deadline for your work, you can procrastinate until the last minute because you keep telling yourself, “I have plenty of time!”

Set your own personal deadlines for your work in addition to the formal ones you are assigned.

 You must complete the following things in order to do so:

• To begin, you must first define your objectives and know what you desire. 
• Make goals for your personal and professional lives to balance your life.
• To stay focused, write down your goals and refer to them frequently.
• You can break down your big-picture goals once you’ve set them. This will help you to reach your goal gradually.

2. Run on a schedule

Another fantastic strategy to stop squandering time and put it to good use is to follow a set of rules or a schedule. You can achieve this by establishing a list of all the chores you need to complete and scheduling them accordingly. Furthermore, having a plan allows us to make the most of our time. There isn’t much time to sit around and do nothing.

To assist plan your day, use time-management approaches like timeboxing and the Japanese technique known as Kaizen.

Get a planner or an app that lists all of your deadlines and allows you to mark them off as they are met.

You can color coordinate it or organize it however you want. This will make you feel more effective with your time and more inspired to finish your tasks.

3. Do not try to do everything all at once

If you’re prone to multitasking, this is not a good thing for many, as it clearly slows you down and lowers the quality of your work.

Allowing oneself to multitask can exacerbate any existing problems with concentration, organization, and attention to detail. Multitasking is less productive than performing one item at a time, according to Stanford University research.

People who are regularly assaulted with several streams of electronic information are unable to pay attention, recall information, or switch from one task to another as well as individuals who do one task at a time, according to the study.

While some individuals believe that multitasking is a strength, it might actually work against you.

Sure, you might be able to get a lot of things done on the surface, but nothing gets done well, and almost nothing gets finished.

Slow down and accomplish one item at a time, focusing entirely on that one task. Overall, this will make it easier for you to reach your final aim.

4. Avoid distraction with the help of technology

The same thing can cause distraction and increase productivity at the same time. Yes, technology and the internet you use every day.

To stop wasting time on the internet or any important project, one way to avoid is putting away your phone and disabling social media notifications on your device.

If you know what to utilize, your technology, such as apps and browser extensions, can help you in this situation.

There are a plethora of apps available that do everything from fully shut down your internet access for a fixed period of time to blocking specific websites and alerting you when you surpass your daily restrictions. Here are a few to try:

• Self-Control
• Moment
• Freedom
• Stay Focusd

5. Nothing will work if you are still lazy

The main cause of laziness is being unmotivated or distracted. But if you have a plan for the future and a strong focus on life, you can overcome this situation rapidly.

So put your goals in sight every day and see yourself as the person you want to be.

Never underestimate the impact of little, consistent contributions in any area of life. Because every step counts.

Many experts gave importance to practice and consistency in an effort to stop wasting time.

6. Overthinking

People who overthink can have a wide range of symptoms such as insomnia, trouble concentrating, and loss of energy.

Sometimes, it leads to chronic anxiety or depression. So, if you spend too much time analyzing your problems and dilemmas, you are simply wasting your time instead of taking prompt actions.

Too much overthinking takes away from being productive. It stifles innovation and limits our ability to make decisions. My advice to folks who have this tendency is to meditate every day and establish an action habit to stop wasting time.

 7. Take A Break to Breakthroughs

Taking a break does not mean you will be lazy. In the last couple of months, I kept myself busy consistently doing work. But this situation led my body and mind tired, which ultimately hard for me to stay motivated and focused.

You might believe that the key to productivity is to buckle down and work until you’ve completed everything on your to-do list.

But, let’s face it, working for eight to ten hours straight isn’t feasible. So, what should you do if you truly want to get more done during the day?

You should set aside time during the day to move away from your work and relax.

Here are the benefits according to science if you take a break from work-

• Taking regular breaks will help you make better decisions (by thinking more clearly)
• Breaks spark creative ideas and new solutions
• Taking intervals allows you to stay focused for longer amounts of time while also improving your performance. Taking “microbreaks” (such as getting up from your desk to stretch or taking a short break to grab a cup of coffee) had a positive impact at work, according to a 2018 study, which improved performance.
• Breaks can help you retain information in memory (important for studying or rehearsing a speech, etc.)
• Taking a small break now and then can help you refocus on your long-term objectives.

Summary

Procrastination may be overcome with self-discipline, which allows you to stop squandering time.

Many individuals, I believe, will benefit from these ideas and methods, which will help them be more productive.

Developing excellent personal habits, prioritizing your tasks, and optimizing your professional and personal lives can assist you in determining your life’s success.

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