10 ways you're wasting time without even knowing it

You wake up with the best intentions. You’re going to crush it today. And then suddenly—it’s 6 PM, your to-do list is untouched, and somehow you spent 45 minutes deciding what snack feels most “productive.” Sound familiar? You’re not lazy. Time is just really good at slipping away when you’re not watching.

Here are ten ways you’re probably wasting time without even realizing it—and no, none of them involve Netflix.

1. Responding to every message like it’s a fire drill

Yes, that Slack ping feels urgent. No, it probably isn’t. Constantly dropping what you’re doing to reply kills your flow faster than a surprise Zoom call with video required.

2. Holding onto meetings that could have been... anything else

You know the ones. The “quick catch-up” that morphs into a 40-minute ramble with zero decisions made. If a meeting has no agenda, it has no business stealing your time.

3. Overthinking literally everything

You’re on your third font choice for a proposal your client will barely skim. If “just one more tweak” is your life motto, congrats—you’ve found a secret time leak.

4. Multitasking like a squirrel on espresso

Answering emails while reviewing a budget while pretending to listen on a call? You’re not getting more done—you’re just doing more things badly, simultaneously.

5. Saying yes to stuff you already dread

You agreed to “hop on a quick call” with that person from LinkedIn. Again. Deep down, you knew this would happen. Your calendar is not a kindness lottery.

6. Scheduling chaos instead of clarity

If your calendar looks like Tetris on hard mode, it’s time to rethink how you book your day. Hint: “Are you free Tuesday at 3?” times 17 is not a strategy.

7. Checking your email like it’s a slot machine

You don’t need to hit refresh every 12 minutes. Spoiler: That email about the invoice is still not there. Set boundaries, or let Gmail own your soul.

8. Taking the long way (because you forgot you already solved this)

Spending 30 minutes researching something you figured out last month? Happens. Write things down. Save your own life later.

9. Waiting for the perfect time to start anything

You don’t need better timing. You need to start. Waiting for “the right moment” is basically time’s way of ghosting your progress.

10. Planning your week on the fly

Winging it feels rebellious until Thursday, when you’re triple-booked, exhausted, and vaguely Googling “How to move to a forest.”

A time tip

If you’re spending more time scheduling than doing, it might be time to use a tool that actually helps. Doodle makes it easy to set up meetings without the back-and-forth (or the rage-typing). Whether booking clients, coordinating your team, or running events, it gives you your time back — and doesn’t call it “synergy.”