 How To Stop Being A Time Waster.Are you constantly pressing the send/receive button on your email? When your phone rings, do you pick it up as fast as you would if it were Brad Pitt calling you? If so, congratulations. You are the queen of wasting time. We all complain that we don't have enough time in the day. But the truth of the matter is, we're just not utilizing the time that we have wisely. If you just removed one of these 6 time wasters, your schedule would open up and allow you to focus on your top priorities.The E-Mail, Cell Phone and Blackberry Time Waster When it comes to our electronic devices, most of us are like Pavlov's dogs. We practically drool and drop everything when we hear the "Ding" or vibration of our incoming messages. In order to break this addictive habit and become more productive in your day, schedule certain times for checking emails and text messages. Be strict. When it's time for work, turn your devices off. The Frequent Visitor Time Waster Does your office feel like Grand Central Station? Do your "visitors" loiter around talking about things that aren't work related? I love catching up about the latest Grey's Anatomy as much as the next girl, but there's a time and a place. To make sure you're not constantly interrupted, put a "Do Not Disturb" sign on your door. Or let people know in advance when it's ok for them to contact you. The “I’m sorry, what?” Time Waster Are you distracted by the dust particles flying in the air? If you find that sound and movement easily divert your attention, you need to find the best way to focus. If you're in a cubicle or office that faces all the action, you may need to rearrange your set up. Try putting on a pair of headphones with some calming instrumental music to help block out the ambient noise. The Phone Time Waster Why is it when the phone rings, we feel the need to answer it right away? Isn't that why they invented voice mail? And the amazing call display feature allows you to screen your calls and only pick up the one's that are important at the time. So the next time the phone rings, instead of barking at the innocent person on the other line that you're too busy to talk, let the phone ring. If you still think you'll be too tempted to answer, unplug it until your work is done. The Daydreaming Time Waster Here's the hard truth. You're not always going to like the things that you have to do. Whether it's work related or a bunch of errands that need to get done, there are a million other ways you'd rather spend your time. But putting off the inevitable will only add more stress to your life. So instead of going online to check out the latest celebrity who got slapped with a DUI (who can even keep up?) commit to doing what you have to do first. If you must take a break, limit it to only a few minutes. The "Sure, no problem" Time Waster Have you ever caught yourself thinking while in the middle of baking 3 dozen cupcakes for the school's bake sale "What the hell was I thinking?" Do you often take on more than you can handle because you don't want to disappoint anyone by saying no? Not only does saying "yes" to things you don't want to do waste time, it also prevents you from doing the things you value most. Don't think you can muster up the courage to say no the next time you're asked to do something? Hang out with your kids for a while. You're sure to reject a number of their propositions. Return from Time Wasters to Time Management Tips Return to Balance the Mother Load Home
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