We all are used to waste our time. To be more productive, we should stop wasting our time and utilize that in some productive work. But utilizing every minute is not possible, so we should identify our big time wasters and stop them.
Biggest Time Waster
One of biggest time waster is Television. In a recent survey, it is told that usually people watch TV around 30 hours per week. Did I read right? 30 hours per week. This is insane, we work for 40 hours per week, so this is almost full time job hours. If we stop watching television, it will give us extra 30 hours per week which we can utilize to enhance our technical and soft skills or we can join part-time job to earn more or can do side business like freelancing.
Television is time wasters because it does not give you any beneficial information unless you are watching any educational program.
Earlier I was used to spend quite a bit time on Television like I turn on TV once I come from office. When I worked to increase my productivity, I realized this and narrowed down my TV programs. I bought setup box which shows past week recorded episodes. Now I watch those once I finish my week routine. Since these are recorded, I am free to watch them when I want and also I skip ads and other unnecessary parts to finish 30 mins episode in 15 mins. I have installed news apps, which I check while travelling to or from office. Eventually I was able to break my addiction to TV and freeing up my 20 hours per week.
You may have good reasons that watching news will keep you to up-to date or watching movies and serials make you relaxed. Give a thought that can you survive if you watch your favorite serials at the end of week or reading news on app in place of TV? Will you still feel the same amount of relax if you spend time in some productive work which you like most i.e. making an application, writing books or blogs.
Other Time Wasters
Primarily TV is the biggest time waster for most of the people, but one other biggest time waster is social media. People spend many hours to check and reply on Facebook, Twitter, whatsapp etc.
Unnecessary meetings are also a time waster. People schedule meetings because they see this a easiest way to group together to discuss and decide. To save time, i suggest you not to go in those meetings where you are optional or you are truly not required. People will reach out to you If in case, in one of meetings, they need you.
Find Your Time Wasters
To stop wasting your time, identify your time wasters. Track your time for a week and see that where are you spending your time. It will identify your biggest time wasters which you can utilize in your growth. For example: If you have TV habit, try to kick this out for a week and do “No TV” week. See how you do that and where you spend your time when no TV.