You need to leave these habits right now…!
We all are slouching…Procrastination has reached its peak, and time is just flowing away.
You too will agree how unproductive you have become…
This needs to go away. Today itself. We can’t just take time for granted. Time — once lost, is lost forever!
You may not realize it, but there are a few things that destroy your time of the day.
Hence, I have prepared a list of 21 activities that waste your time in a day. Now say no to wasting time.
You have to dump these non-productive activities to invite success into your life!
List of 21 Things that Waste Your Time (Be Productive Avoiding these things)
Below are the list of most common things that makes us less productive.
1. Not Waking Up Early
One cannot emphasize this enough! But not waking up early is the first and foremost non-productive activity.
No doubt, virtual days have disrupted our everyday routine. Instead of waking up at 7 in the morning, we are extending the time to 10 or even noon.
This shouldn’t be done. Follow your initial routine. Get up early and then try to make a To-Do list. You can’t even imagine how much work you can accomplish in a day if you follow a scheduled list.
Waking up early is also going to render you a fresh start to your day.
2. Not Indulging in Reading
No matter the age, reading will always enrich your mind. With the escalation of the binge-watching trend, reading has started fading gradually.
Do you know reading improves your memory and brainpower? It increases your imaginative capability, along with upgrading your vocabulary and language. You can even brag about it!
Start with something simple. Choose your favorite genre. If confused, ask your reader friend. Any type that will entertain you is a good start indeed.
3. Excessive Binge-Watching
Binge-watching Netflix is fun. No doubt. It relaxes you after the long Zoom meetings. But when this becomes an obsession, it starts ruining things for you.
OTT series are made in such a way that will oblige you to click the “Next” button. Hence, you finish a season in a day.
This should be monitored by you or by a family member. Make a timetable and divide your time. Don’t cross the stipulated time.
Become productive by controlling and spending your time wisely.
4. Not Making a Routine
Well, you may be thinking, how can a routine be productive? But trust us on this, it is indeed a productive activity.
When you don’t make a timetable or routine, you can’t allow time for different activities. Hence, you can’t accomplish all the tasks.
But dividing the time will make you prioritize tasks. One by one you can complete the pending activities.
But again, you need to be strict with your routine. Don’t cheat on yourself with procrastination.
5. Consuming Junk Foods
We won’t tell you to avoid junk. It’s unavoidable and tasty. We know that.
But consuming junk throughout the day and ignoring healthy snacks can be destructive.
Stop ordering KFC or Burger King now and then. Not even Starbucks. You can always make healthy snacks.
Allow two cheat days at maximum. Start making homemade dishes. This way you would also know what ingredients are going into your diet.
If you have health issues, consult a dietician. Or use verified health apps.
6. Slouching and Not Exercising
Get up from your bed and shake up your body. Scrolling through social media feeds for hours and rusting your bones should be abandoned right away.
We ain’t telling you to do heavy workouts. Just light free-hand exercises. You can also try beginner’s yoga. This will keep the extra pounds off of your body.
Brownie points — you will feel less sleepy and more motivated. And it will keep your serotonin level up the bar.
7. Scrolling Social Media Feed Endlessly
Yes, this was supposed to pop up somewhere. But darling, you need to stop scrolling your TikTok and Instagram for hours.
Social media is addictive, we know. But which fruitful thing comes out from that, except FOMO and self-doubt?
Put an app tracker for good. Restrict the time to two hours. And these two hours should be divided throughout the day.
Also, remember, no screen time before bedtime!
8. Constant Comparison
Now that we are talking about social media, let’s talk about self-comparison too. As said earlier, all you get from social media is self-doubt and FOMO.
You see others making the most out of their time during the pandemic. Maybe starting an online business, volunteering, or even making videos.
But that’s just the online appearance and not the whole picture. Everyone is suffering more or less. You need to understand one thing. Not everyone showcases their real self. Or maybe none!
Most importantly, social media does not validate your worth. Your dear ones do.
9. Not Taking Up Meditation
Yes, meditation is the new medicine. It single-handedly solves a lot of your problems.
Feeling confused? Meditate. Losing focus? Meditate. Not having any perspective? Meditate.
Even though you are at home, you still need the right mindset. And mediation will help you achieve the same. It will stop you from wandering.
With meditation, you will know what to concentrate on.
10. Not Getting into Action
We love complaining, don’t we? We whine too much rather than take action.
So instead of complaining, we need to find solutions to the problems. Crying about the same won’t do you good. Instead, it will intensify the problem.
Hence, seek the answer. Do things that will usher in productivity.
11. Working Too Much
We can’t avoid office or schoolwork. But overloading will harm you instead. In the end, you may think you were not productive enough yourself.
This feeling comes when the work is monotonous. This also wastes time. So, what is the solution?
Maybe try fun and fruitful activities. Talk to your seniors or professors. Ask them if they can change the setup of work or assignments. Give them fresh ideas.
12. Sacrificing Sleep
This pandemic has messed up our sleep schedules. But have you thought about the “why” behind this?
Yes, you got the answer! Again, binge-watching and scrolling feed.
Lack of sleep makes you feel drowsy. In turn, it makes you lazy throughout. This wastes your time and affects productivity.
Avoid sleeping in the afternoon. Rather complete the pending tasks then. This way your brain gets tired and craves sleep. At least 5 hours of sleep is compulsory every day.
A night of proper sleep shouldn’t be your luxury. You are just saving yourself from getting any chronic disease.
13. Not Paying Attention
Let’s be honest. When was the last time you paid attention to your classes?
Yes we know, online classes are quite stressful. Studying is no more fun. And it has surely turned into mere assignments submission and exam tasks.
But by not paying attention to it at all, you are wasting your time. It will be tough but pay attention to the lessons.
This way it will save you hours. How? By not scavenging for class notes before exams.
14. Skipping Meals
This has become a common tendency to skip meals. Even though you are overloaded with work, never skip meals.
Our mind and body are interrelated. If our body is tired, so will our mind. We won’t be able to concentrate with a hungry stomach.
Thus, it wastes time. Always work with a filled stomach.
Remember, never skip breakfast. A healthy breakfast gives a better start to your day.
15. Impulsive Shopping
Do we need to get started with this? Impulsive shopping has become a thing now.
Yes, it’s quite tempting to buy your wishlist stuff. But think about this. Not only are you wasting hours, surfing through various categories. But also your monthly payments.
Wait for 2 to 4 days before buying anything. Then ask yourself. Do you need that thing? Just answer with yes or no. And voila! You know what to do.
Saves a lot of bucks.
16. Not Taking a Step Ahead
The pandemic has gifted us with a lot of time. Let’s be thankful for that. So, what now?
We often don’t take a step toward anything new. Thus, wasting time on the same old things has resulted in reduced productivity.
Take up a new foreign language course. Or learn something new. Cook the dishes which you were planning to. Bake a brownie for the family.
17. Just Sitting
Many of us have this habit of just sitting. Not doing anything. Nothing. Just staring at the blank wall.
That’s when various thoughts come to mind. And get transported to an unnecessary mind spot.
This ruins productivity. If you have intrusive thoughts, write them down. If something is worrying you, talk it out. Just avoid sitting blankly.
18. Going Through Emails Now and Then
Gmail has become an essential part of our lives. Refreshing now and then literally turned into a habit.
But this increases our anxiety. Why? Because you always expect some work. And this increases your silent excitement.
You need to stop it today. Refreshing Gmail won’t bring in productivity. It will just render you with unwanted tension. Allot a specific time for checking emails. Or turn on the notification so that you can have a quick peek.
19. Cursing Yourself for the Failures
Past is past. You can’t change that now. So pondering about the same won’t help. Instead, it will kill your productivity.
If you have the chance to improve, do so. Take action to upgrade yourself.
You need to accept the result and move on for the better. Try not to make the same mistakes the next time.
20. Not Aiming Higher
When you have goals, you automatically become productive. You utilize the time as much as possible.
When one doesn’t know about one’s goal, one does not know the value of time.
Make a bucket list. Aim for your goals. Carve a vision. You will automatically become productive. And will understand the value of time.
21. Drinking Alcohol
Weekend consumption is okay. But daily isn’t. Alcohol brings in intrusive thoughts. Makes us remember unwanted things.
And then the next day you face a hangover. The hangover slows down your daily chores. You feel tired and sleepy.
So keep a track of your alcohol consumption. Try hard to keep it under the limit.
Conclusion
Most of the time we don’t even realize that we are procrastinating. Or not being productive.
These activities are mainly indoor activities. The list will go on once we step outside.
Hence, it is high time to notice these small things. And make efforts to improve them.
Related:
