1.15.2008

Wasting Time

I am married to a person who believes that if you're not doing something "productive," then you're wasting time. Of course, I respect his POV, but this made me think of my definition of "wasting time."

I don't think anything is really wasting time. There may be things that you need to be doing with your time, such as getting something done for your job or around the house - finding yourself immersed in something other than what you think you should be doing would be more like avoidance behavior. For example, I remember that in graduate school, I would get up and do laundry or wash the dishes when I had set aside that block of time to study. 

But is sitting on the couch on Sunday afternoon watching football wasting time? How about surfing the Internet? Watching America's Next Top Model marathons? Taking a nap?

I really think "wasting time," like just about everything else, falls in the realm of individual perception. Many people would say that I am wasting time sitting here typing a blog entry. Yet there are many folks who would say that this is a good use of my time.

As long as you are comfortable with the activities you do (or don't do), then it's not wasting time. Just remember that there's really nothing that you have to do and most things that you "should" do are self-imposed.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you Ace for justifying my new Mac. ;)

Jillie Bean (AKA Bubba's Sis) said...

I like your POV! Sometimes my body just needs rest, so if I'm sitting on the couch reading or watching TV or even taking a nap, I don't consider it wasting time. Like you said, most things you "should" do are self-imposed.

Anonymous said...

I think there's such a thing as "wasting time." Sure, what constitutes "wasting time" depends on your POV, but I think the key is how you deal with the knowledge that you are wasting time.

Sadly, I am not getting any better about not wasting time, but I am getting more comfortable with the fact that I do it, and I don't beat myself up about it as much. But I also don't try to delude myself into thinking that I am not wasting time, just that it is necessary for me to do so.