If your boss remarks you upon being idle again, try to explain that, in fact, you are not wasting time. Let us find out whether aimless social networking, watching TV shows, meaningless phone calls or impulsive purchases in online stores are really harmful. We will also learn why these bad habits, which take up most of your time, are, in fact, quite useful activities.
Hanging out in social networks
Why: a change of surroundings
Psychologists recommend analyzing the purpose of your social networking. After all, if they used to be called the substitutes of a real life, nowadays they have become a major part of our reality, helping not to lose touch with loved ones and quickly resolve some important issues.
For example, imagine a situation: earlier, in order to discuss the latest news with your friends, you would certainly choose a time and place that would be perfect for everyone. However, this only works when everyone is in the same city and can arrive at the appointed time. What about the situation when your close people live in other cities or even countries, and you see each other 1-2 times a year at best? This is where social networks come to the rescue, allowing you to appoint a “get-together” and discuss all the points of interest in a general chat.
If you feel a surge of strength and vitality after such “meetings”, then, according to experts, wandering in virtual reality is a certain kind of recreation for you that helps to cope with chronic fatigue and recharge your batteries. Another thing is if you feel annoyed and frustrated after viewing another portion of updates. Then you should spend less time on the Internet and focus on real life.
Online shopping
The benefit: getting rid of guilt
If you are one of the shopaholics who always end up buying another batch of new products or special promotion goods and then promise themselves that the next time they will just “ have a look”, this is more like an addiction. However, do not despair. According to experts, this is the way to get rid of anxiety or cope with a feeling of guilt. If there is no other way (for example, talking on the phone, checking updates on social networks or finding another occupation), then you start spending money thoughtlessly on things that you don’t really need. Therefore, as soon as you feel anxiety or frustration, try to switch attention to what gives you joy.
Switching channels/watching TV shows
The use: relieving nervous tension
If you turn on some kind of video as background noise or start switching channels automatically, then most likely it is a signal of nervous tension or extreme fatigue, with which you need to cope urgently. Therefore, as soon as you begin to notice that you cannot remember what the film is about, or are unable to retell the video that you have just watched, then, according to experts, you need to urgently think about rest, change the scope of activities or even the surroundings. Take a vacation and go to where you have long dreamed of. However, it is better not to have access to working mail at all! Well, if the manager is not yet ready to let you go far and for a long time, then at least try to work from home and switch to housework more often.
Pointless talking on the phone
The use: escaping from reality
Even if people are skeptic about your habit of hanging on the phone for hours, do not rush to limit your communication. Psychologists claim that even a banal conversation with a girlfriend helps you escape from reality, or rather, to properly tune in to perform some boring or unpleasant tasks. Therefore, take it as a kind of respite and an opportunity to prepare for those activities that do not give you much joy, but require your attention.
Routine affairs
The Use: emotional relief
If you are wondering where time flies, because it seems you haven’t done anything special all day, try to figure out what exactly (and how) you did. After all, according to experts, doing routine tasks gives you emotional relief, an opportunity to escape from any problems and to have a rest. Due to the fact that many things are done automatically, you most likely do not even notice that you spend time and energy on their implementation, so you are really sincerely wondering where those 2-3 hours went, if the end result is not visible.
Daydreaming
The Benefit: a shift in emphasis
Experts give a green light to those who are used to spending their days dreaming of a happy future or making new plans. They remind us that wandering in your own thoughts is not a waste of time, but an opportunity to rethink values, prioritize, analyze your mistakes and work out a new action plan. After all, if, say, many great scientists had not spent their days doing this, then who knows if they could have made their discoveries or would have simply wasted their talent. However, experts still recommend that you should keep in mind your urgent matters and distract from your Napoleonic plans every now and then.
