How do you use, misuse or abuse time?

Time is one of the most valuable assets we have, and one that no amount of money can buy. Every minute wasted is a minute lost for ever. Despite this reality, we still misuse or even ABUSE time instead of using it to our advantage. We waste it on things that don't matter, things that don't add quality to our lives. Most of us are on the same boat when it comes to time; we are aware of its value, we want more of it, but we misuse it, intentionally or unintentionally. I am guilty of this myself. Here are the ways I misuse or waste time;

Three ways I waste time

1. Too much researching

I am aware of this flaw, but I always have this NEED to know the A-Z of what I am researching. If my research is academic related, then I feel compelled to know most, if not all sides of the argument. So this means going through book after book, document after document, and website after website. When I am done with my research, I usually have at least 40% of what I found that I don't include in the final piece because there's not enough room to! Or sometimes, the writing has taken a different direction so my earlier research direction is no longer relevant. If I am researching something for my teaching, I believe it's a duty for me to give my students my best so I research and research. I believe this is also important because I do not like to compromise on the quality of my work or to fall short on my duties towards them.

As for my general blog writing (like on steemit), I am also guilty of taking too long to complete a topic. For example, I start writing a post, and half way realize it deserves more time and attention, so I copy the content somewhere, and post something else in its place. Then the next time, I focus on that first post and research deeper into it so it can be more comprehensive. I do this with photos too! I am a visual learner and I know the right image/s can communicate an idea more than words for many people, so I try to select the 'right' ones. In a way, I don't know whether it's all a waste because I do LEARN through research. But I watched to a Ted talk where Brian Rose - founder of London Real - spoke about researching too much for those who want everything to be perfect. He concluded that '95% of research is procrastination in disguise; aka fear.'

2. Making to do lists

To-do lists can be great, but they are useless if they don't turn into action. I spend a LOT of time making to do lists. I like them because they allow me to write down all the tasks I have that need my attention, and in the order of priority. Making lists are highly recommended by 'all' successful people, and while I see the logic behind it, I do not think it's for everyone, nor is it for all the time. There are times when I do follow my to do list and check each task as I complete it. But then there are times where it can be crippling to see all the things that NEED to be done. My most fulfilling days are the days I have ticked every single task on my to do list because I feel I have been productive and thus deserve to celebrate that small milestone.

But on the days I don't complete the tasks, I feel unproductive, useless and a bit of a failure. And I don't like wasting time writing to-do lists only for my accomplishments of the day to be measured by that list. Why give a list that much control over how I should feel at the end of my day? Then there are the days where I don't make to-do lists, and I accomplish many things without the added pressure of referring back to a to-do list. Of course the lack of a list doesn't mean I don't have a direction, it just means it's only in my head and I do mental checks, which to me is less daunting. Those none list days days are more liberating for me, and I want to focus on having more days like that.

3. Overthinking

I am guilty on indulging on too much thinking, even when thinking is neither necessary nor useful. I sometimes focus on tiny details that will not impact the outcome of what I plan to do. I think about what I am doing, what I will do next and what needs to be done. I even think in the bathroom, granted that's where my BEST ideas come from! In a way, I am fortunate because I don't waste time thinking about the past. Most of my overthinking is about the near to the distant future. One way overthinking wastes my time is that I take too long to make a decision. For example, few months I was working on my own online business, but the website took me weeks to complete. Why? Because I overthink about all the features, colours, content etc. I also spend a lot of time watching marketing webinars to try to improve my business. Overthinking cost me time and money. Sometimes I overthink about the daily tasks or chores. For example, I would think about which should I do first and why, instead of just doing something. So recently I learned an interesting method called the 5 second rule by Mel Robbins. It teaches the idea of counting from 5 backwards, and when you reach 1, just do what needs to be done. No thinking, no hesitating, no wasting time. So far, it's going well for me! How about you? How do you use, misuse or abuse time?

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