6 Ways You're Wasting Your Time
Time is a finite resource, my friend - and it’s truly one of our most valuable assets. Knowing just how important our time really is can motivate us to use it well - but today let’s talk about six ways that we tend to waste our time as moms and homemakers (yes, even if you work in or out of the home). These are six areas that I have realized that I needed to improve in, and I think it’s pretty likely you may struggle with at least a couple of them!
Focus (or lack thereof)
Modern media and the lie of multi-tasking have made us lose our focus, quite literally. The ability to hone in on the task in front of you and give it your total, focused attention is a skill that many of us lack. And while sometimes multi-tasking may be necessary, trying to split your attention between too many things is a sure-fire way to get nothing done (or at least done well). When you look at your to do lists, try to find ways to give individual items your total focus. You’re more likely to complete them well, and quickly!
Social Media
I’d guess that this little distraction and time waster is probably number one on a lot of women’s lists. It’s truly a double-edged sword. So much connection and information right at our fingertips, but so much potential for doom-scrolling and wasted time! Evaluate your social media usage, and use the tools and apps available to you to help mitigate the time you spend online so that you can use that time more wisely. Maybe you need to delete the app during the day, or during the week, and only have designated times to check in - or maybe you just need to set a timer and be more mindful!
Comparison
It’s a trap as old as time itself - the phrase “keeping up with the Joneses” existed long before the days of Instagram. When you spend too much of your time comparing your life - your home, your kids, your schedule, your bank account - to other people, you can quickly become disenchanted with your own life, and get your priorities mixed up. Your life is yours to live, and yours alone - and your time is better spent watering your own grass instead of lamenting that it’s not as green as your neighbor’s (ps, that might be photoshop).
Out-of-Control Hobbies
Last year I wasted a ton of time trying to get my upper garden going, only to lose most of it to the deer. Now, I love gardening and growing food and flowers, and that hobby in itself is not bad - but I took on too much, and devoted time that I didn’t have to a project that wasn’t actually necessary. Take a good hard look at your hobbies - are they eating into time that would better be spent with your family or in caring for you home? I’m not telling you to have no hobbies (they’re important!) but to make sure that they are in the proper place in your life and in your schedule.
Work/Life Balance
This one can easily go either way. One of the hazards of being a work from home mom is that I can easily just keep work-work-working, and neglect time spent in my home. Perhaps you have the opposite problem, that you get wrapped up in tasks at home and you aren’t accomplishing your work tasks without having to pull late-nighters. This one obviously won’t apply to everyone, but if you are a working mama, it’s important to look at each day and prioritize your time based on the most pressing needs.
Laziness and Apathy
Well, friend, I’ve saved the best for last. And by best, I mean the hardest pill to swallow. Sometimes, we waste our time because we just stop caring. This is an easy trap for mamas to fall into, because so much of what we do is the same thing day in and day out. It’s not hard to become apathetic about homemaking tasks when it seems that all of our work is undone five minutes after we complete it. Apathy and laziness are some of the hardest things to battle, but it’s a battle you can win. We are gonna talk about this more in an upcoming blog - but i’ll give you a hint - it’s all about the heart.