Wasted Time: What Has Become of You

by Janice R Newman

As time progresses, it seems that people are getting busier and busier and more distracted by technology, activities, social media, etc. Our time gets consumed by distractions in the world that cause us to get off track, waste time, and become stagnant with our goals and achievements. Time is a valuable commodity that has a limited supply. Time is limited hourly by 60 minutes, daily by 24 hours, monthly by 30 days, yearly by 365 days, and our life is unknown.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven”

We’re taught to use our time wisely versus wasting such a precious limited commodity, but how much time do we waste daily, weekly, or in our lifetime that we can’t get back? We spend time on social media, phone calls, watching television, surfing the internet, YouTube, and playing game apps on our phones. Statista.com reports that the average American spent daily in 2022 over two hours watching television and over one hour on social media. Imagine three hours a day that could be utilized to accomplish your goals, take a college class, or be an entrepreneur. That’s almost 1100 hours or 45 days of wasted time. We can effectively reduce wasted time by eliminating or reducing distractions, setting priorities, and improving our time management skills.

First, you must eliminate and reduce distractions by identifying what are your main distractions. The main distractions are internet surfing, watching television, text messages, emails, and your phone. Our phones are with us 24/7 and it has become second nature to constantly look at our phones for messages, emails, shopping, and social media. Reduce distraction by turning off your notifications on your phone, closing unnecessary browser tabs, minimizing noise, or turning off the television. Create an environment that’s free from distractions to work on projects and goals. Also, set boundaries with others by communicating your need to have uninterrupted time to focus. Once distractions are reduced, you can focus on setting priorities.