How to avoid wasting time? Useful tips

How to stop wasting time in vain? This question interests both men and women. Each of us wants to do so much. But by the evening it turns out that some of the work is postponed until tomorrow. And we do this every day. And it is often unclear where the time goes. It seems that everyone’s day is equal to 24 hours. Then why do some people succeed in everything, while others don’t?

Why do we procrastinate?

Precious hours are eaten up by bad habits. There are five of them. To stop wasting time, try to get rid of them all.

Wrong thinking

How often do you use the expression “if only” in your life? Probably you do it every day. People tend to evaluate what happened from this position. Often thoughts are too far from reality. Trying to build an ideal magical world, a person forgets about pressing matters. And he steals time from himself.

Constant complaints about things beyond our control

It could be anything: rainy weather, a neighbor who started repairs early on Saturday morning, insufficient economic development in the country. Please note that if you often complain and start conversations on such topics, it’s time to sound the alarm.

Complaining has no value. It's a waste of time, and it brings irritation and bad mood. Why not replace them with important and pleasant information?

Aimless time spending on social networks

It is difficult to argue with the fact that the Internet has become a part of every person’s life. Moreover, many are so immersed in the virtual world that they forget about reality.

In other cases, everything is not so bad, but there is a problem. Have you noticed how you wait for the next message, wander aimlessly through groups on social networks in search of news, or look at photos? This takes hours.

Try to allocate no more than an hour a day to surf the Internet, for example, 30 minutes in the morning and evening. You are guaranteed to get a lot of free time.

The desire to do everything at once

Do several things at once and you will notice how quickly you feel mentally and physically tired. The human brain is capable of controlling the execution of a small number of tasks. The ideal option is 1 task for the designated period of time. Otherwise, you won't accomplish anything useful during your working day.

Lack of organization

It takes a lot of time to clean up the clutter at home or in the workplace. A much more economical option is to devote a few minutes every day to maintaining order.

Organization is also needed in business. The lack of a routine or a clear plan of action is a direct path to a pointless waste of time resources.

How not to waste time - practical advice

One day you will realize that it would be better to spend your time on something more useful than social networks or watching TV series. But the minutes cannot be returned. Simple tips and recommendations will help you avoid waste.

Plan your work day

Right now, take a diary or a regular notebook and make an action plan for tomorrow. This way you can assess the amount of work and distribute tasks by importance. As a result, time will be freed up to solve other problems.

By the way, the Eisenhower Matrix helps with planning. According to it, tasks should be divided into 4 groups:
• important, urgent (no more than 2);
• important but not urgent;
• unimportant, but requiring urgent implementation;
• non-urgent and unimportant, time-consuming.

Solve important, urgent and unpleasant tasks in the morning. In the evening you will not have the desire to perform them. And neither will you have time for this. Therefore they will be rescheduled to the next day. And so on in a circle.

The “tomato” method helps you learn not to waste time. According to it, after 25 minutes of work you need to take a 5-minute break. After completing 4 cycles, increase the break to 30 minutes. Thanks to this schedule, you won't have time to get bored.

Check your email at the scheduled time

If checking emails is not a part of your work process, set a few minutes in the morning and evening to read letters. This rule applies to everything related to the Internet. This includes social networks, computer games and correspondence.

Social networks deserve special attention. Has it ever happened that you went there for a minute and left at least an hour later? And someone sits there all day long. This is a 100% waste of time.

If you can’t overcome your addiction to social networks on your own, block them on the devices you use. A week will pass and you will notice how much free time you have.

Also unsubscribe from mailings you don't need. Maybe you have subscribed on them several years ago. But now you don't need this information. Leave only useful subscriptions.

Learn to delegate

Choose the field of activity in which you understand best. Otherwise, you will waste a lot of time and effort. And the earnings will be small.

Delegate tasks you are not strong at to colleagues. This way you will save a lot of time, which you can spend doing what you really like. Plus, you will give other people the opportunity to earn money.

Limit time for tasks

Limit the time you spend performing a particular task to a few hours. You will soon notice that you are working much faster.

Don't get distracted while working. Try to do it quickly and efficiently.

Remember the 15 minute rule

It looks like this: after 15 minutes of painstaking and hard work, you will not want to quit or be distracted by other things. And indeed it is so. Think back to when you start reading a book. The first pages rarely generate crazy interest. But as the story progresses, you become more and more immersed in the story.

The same is true with work. Try to focus on it for at least a short period of time, for example 15 minutes. The result will exceed all expectations.

Keep track of your time spent

Take a blank sheet of paper and write down everything, even small actions, throughout the day. Analyze them in the evening. You will no doubt be surprised at how much time you have wasted. You will also see that some of the cases could be combined and systematized.

Learn to refuse

Remember the movie "Always Say Yes" starring Jim Carrey? His life can hardly be called successful. And all because the hero’s constant companion was the word “no.” When he learned to say “yes,” his life changed dramatically.

Imagine how your life would change if you learned to say no. Trouble-free people find it difficult to spend their time effectively. They deal with other people's problems, listen to new complaints and give advice. Sometimes forgetting that they themselves have more than enough problems.

Learn to say no. Before you agree to any request, ask yourself a question. Ask if doing it will interfere with your planned activities.

Give yourself the right settings and attitude

“Whatever you name the yacht, that’s how it will sail.” This is a famous phrase from a children's cartoon about the adventures of Captain Vrungel. You have no idea how applicable it is in adult life. It’s not for nothing that they say that your whole day depends on your mood.

Immediately after waking up, think about something good. Don't burden yourself with thoughts about unresolved problems or upcoming negotiations. Do not pick up the phone, do not go on the Internet and social networks. Read a book, drink a cup of coffee, think about the day ahead. Wish yourself good mood and get to work.

Stop dozing uselessly

This is another option to avoid wasting time. You are probably familiar with the situation when the alarm clock is reset several times in the morning. What do you get from these actions? Nothing. This is a pointless waste of time. You will not spend these minutes sleeping, but will wait with your eyes closed for the next signal.

Train yourself to get up right away. It is better to come to the office early after completing your morning routine. This way you will get a lot more tasks done. And you may not have to take work home.

Get rid of useless apps

Don't make excuses. Remove everything that steals time from your phone, tablet and computer. Leave the programs you need most. As an exception, install useful and brain-developing puzzles. They will help you cheer up and get in the mood for work.

Distant work

Switch to remote work if possible. There may be more working hours. But you will spend these hours in comfortable conditions. In addition, you will not have to waste time traveling on public transport.

Many remote workers find it difficult to adjust to working from home. Here you need to understand that this is the same job as all the others. It requires organization and responsible attitude.

Don't overload your brain with information

You shouldn't read hundreds of articles, books and magazines. If you find a helpful tip, stop. Try to put it into practice. Stop looking for something else until you evaluate its effectiveness.

Write down new ideas and important thoughts

The human brain is like a computer. It also has short-term memory. But it is limited. When new information appears, the old one is erased. As a result, you may forget something necessary and important.

Jot down ideas in a notebook that will always be visible to you. This will save you a lot of time trying to remember them a couple of months later.

Don't think

On the one hand, this is quite a strange advice. However, it is very effective. Most often, the phrase “I think” indicates that a person is excited about something or is very worried. Do not do this. Don't waste time thinking about possible bad and good consequences. Take action and only then evaluate the results. If you don't like them, look for another way.

Conclusion

So, how to avoid wasting time and stop procrastinating? Everything is very simple. Determine what or who is stealing your precious minutes. Maybe it's the Internet, talking on the phone or watching TV series. After analysis, allocate a certain number of minutes or hours for these activities. Dedicate everything else to more useful things. Plan your day in advance, share responsibilities, take short breaks. In a few days you will see that your life is changing for the better.