Do you catch yourself wasting a lot of time on things that bring no value to your life? Examples are following social media, watching TV, or playing video games. Are you consistently in catch-up mode after procrastinating for a long time? This article will be for you.
We all need to keep track of how much time we waste. As a CEO, I need to focus on my work and things that add a lot of value to my life and the lives of those around me. The only way I or anyone can be successful is by managing our time well to accomplish whatever it is I need to.
Watching TV
I used to watch TV after dinner in the evening. I found that it was easy to waste one or two hours and have nothing to show for it. It is far better to do something like exercising or talking to my family and friends. Sitting and watching other people achieve their dreams on TV does the opposite of helping us achieve our dreams.
Social Media
Although I am a fan of social media, I realize that too much of it can be self-destructive. When I left the Philippines and lived in either Singapore or Canada it was very lonely. I could only send letters or the occasional super expensive telephone call. Now I can easily dial anyone and call for free as long as I have internet. Because of this ultra-connectivity, it can result in wasting a large amount of time. Most studies show that people spent 4 hours per day on social media. If you want to become successful you need to be willing to make sacrifices. If just half of this time is spent learning new skills, working, cleaning, or building relationships, you will be far better off.
Getting Dressed
“Wait, Rebecca, you are saying cooking, cleaning, and changing clothes is a waste of time?” I have seen many women especially can waste a lot of time and money putting on makeup and deciding what to wear. It holds them back and keeps them broke. However, as a Woman I know that when you look good, you feel good, and you can go out and become successful so my advice is to have a base of clothes which all fit with one another so you can grab anything in your closet and look your best. This is known as the minimalist wardrobe and on the link is an example for both men and women to follow. This saves your time, your money, and your closet space!
Cooking Fast
Coming home after work and dealing with our traffic to then have to cook for another 30 minutes before eating dinner is also wasteful. Instead, cook 2 big meals once a week and store the food in the freezer and reheat it when you get home. I recommend making meals like stews and hearty soups and freeze the extra servings. When my sons moved away for College one thing I taught them is to make something like Sinigang and to freeze it so that every day they have a ready-made meal that is not only cheap but is also healthy.
Clean and Learn
Cleaning is something that is important but can be time-consuming. What I do is I listen to ebooks or podcasts to improve yourself while doing housework. Two birds with one stone!
If there are other wastes of time that I didn't mention or if you have any other ideas for me to write about please let me know in the comments!