Time is the most valuable resource we have because, by distributing it and using it correctly, we can achieve great goals. The most important factor is organization, then patience, of course. If you realize, everything worthwhile takes time, that’s why in this post we want to talk to you about time thieves and how to get rid of them.
Learn to detect time thieves, in time
Time thieves are those situations or behaviours that we let flow and that make us deviate from our objectives, with procrastination and perfectionism being their main allies. Whenever we interrupt work due to lack of attention, when we postpone something for later or when we let problems take over our entire mind, we are letting them steal our time.
The most important thing is that you learn to overcome these types of obstacles by recognizing them in time; look what they are:
- Procrastination: Postponing important tasks or doing lower-priority activities instead of urgent ones.
- Excessive meetings: participating in long or unnecessary meetings that consume time without adding value.
- Excessive multitasking: Trying to do several things at the same time, can reduce efficiency and quality of work.
- Constant interruptions: Getting distracted by notifications, phone calls or frequent interruptions that break concentration.
- Lack of planning: not having a clear or defined plan for the tasks to be carried out, which leads to loss of time in improvised decisions.
- Excessive perfectionism: Spending too much time perfecting irrelevant details instead of completing tasks efficiently.
- Excessive use of social media or electronic devices: Spending too much time on social media or electronic devices can be a significant time thief.
- Bad habits: leading a life without a minimum routine does not help with organization, which is so necessary when we must accomplish several tasks a day. Staying up late, eating improperly, not doing any type of exercise or abusing certain ill-advised substances is all you need to waste your valuable time.
How to avoid wasting time resoundingly
Luckily, there are ways to combat time thieves. We tell you how:
Carlson’s Law
Carlson’s Law is a principle of computer programming that states that “if a program works well, when you modify it, the parts unrelated to the change should not be affected.” This emphasizes modularity and minimizes side effects when making code modifications.
Fraisse’s Law
Fraisse’s Law in auditory psychology indicates that the perception of the duration of an event depends on the amount of information present during said period, where the relevance and complexity of the information influence the individual’s temporal perception.
Illich’s Law
Illich’s Law, proposed by sociologist Ivan Illich, criticizes the concept of the “productivity paradox”, arguing that efficiency in production and services can lead to counterproductive effects, generating additional problems, such as over-dependence on institutions and a decrease in individual autonomy. This law challenges the idea that more services or production always leads to a better quality of life.
Pareto’s Law
Pareto’s Law, also known as the 80/20 principle, postulates that approximately 80% of the results come from 20% of the causes. It is applied in various fields, indicating that a minority of factors is usually responsible for the majority of the observed effects.
And you? Which of these methodologies would you use to optimize your time to the maximum? Follow us on the Educa.Pro blog for more content on human resources, increased productivity, personal development and much more!