I am sure you’ve felt this too — time just seems to fly by every day. You open your eyes, get going, go through some emails, glance at your phone, and before you know it, it’s late in the day. I can’t believe how fast time has gone by. It’s not just something you are going through. That’s how life often gets in the way. Those little moments — the texts, the alerts, and the brief checks — quickly add up for most people.
Things have not changed since the past. You have the same 24 hours as anyone else. Traditionally, our work and leisure time lived in separate spaces, but now that’s not the case anymore. Now you can see them side by side on the screen. You get a work message during a video. A meeting reminder pops up when you’re not at work. Even something as simple as scheduling a raid carry WoW session can blur into work time. It’s no surprise people often feel overworked, but don’t ever really finish what they start. When you never stop checking your phone, you’re basically always working. What should you do when your phone’s battery doesn’t last as long as it should? First, figure out what has changed and why it’s slowly taking up more of your day.
How Technology Changed Our Time
People used to find it easier to separate work from their personal lives. You had your workday at the office, went home, and took it easy afterward. Most of that line is already gone. Due to remote work expanding quickly, starting in 2020, more people now spend at least part of their workweek at home. The poll found that 80% of employees who can work remotely in the U.S. are hybrid or fully remote. It seems like freedom, but once you work at home, you can’t always separate your job from your personal life. I’m able to reach you any time I want. Bosses often want responses quickly, even during the late hours. It’s common to find yourself answering emails from home on your sofa after 10 PM, even when it’s technically overtime.
It’s not limited to work either. We have become used to checking before we drive. You feel your phone buzz and grab it, even though you don’t really want to. Even if there’s nothing pressing, the routine stays in place. According to RescueTime, people look at their phones an average of 58 times each day and spend over 3 hours using them. A lot of the time? Not productive. Tech was supposed to help us spend less time, but now it takes our time away in seemingly invisible amounts. What’s most upsetting is that… We don’t really pay attention as it happens. That’s the reason being aware is the initial solution — it helps you see how much of each day is controlled by unplanned things.
Biggest Time Wasters in the Digital Age
Here are the things that eat up your time — every single day — often without you noticing:
- Most people press their phones an average of 2,617 times every day (Dscout).
- After every notification, it takes approximately 23 minutes to get back on track (Loughborough University).
- Social media users spend about 2.5 hours each day, making it a total of 17 hours a week (Statista, 2024).
- Around 7 out of 10 workers find meetings unproductive and get in the way of their real work.
- According to Radicati Group, office workers get an average of 121 emails a day, but only a little is truly helpful.
- It takes up to 40 percent more time to complete a task after switching from another (American Psychological Association).
- Taking breaks by checking your screen is not good for your recovery and results in faster exhaustion.
Smart Time Management Tips
Set Real Working Hours
If you have a flexible work schedule, you should decide on your hours and keep to them each day. Don’t just let things happen to you. Answering a quick message that late at night can set a new standard for you. Schedule work on your calendar so you don’t combine it with personal activities. Be sure to explain it plainly to all members of your team. You’ll notice that others adapt surprisingly fast after you start.
Turn Off What You Don’t Need
You don’t have to be notified for every post someone likes. Find your settings and turn off the notifications you don’t need. That single change can help you save many hours every week. You are able to limit your screen time with apps or turn on “Focus” or “Do Not Disturb” modes. Freedom and AppBlock are two tools that help you avoid distractions while doing deep work.
Plan with Intention
Make sure you plan your day instead of just letting it happen. List your top 3 tasks in the morning before you start your day. Make your statement brief and easy to understand. Schedule short focus sessions for important activities, even if they’re only 30 minutes. So, you are being intentional instead of just reacting to events all day. All three options—Google Calendar, Notion and Todoist—are helpful for this.
Take Real Breaks
A break is a time to step back from everything, not just to scroll on your phone. Take some time to walk outside. Stretch. Get yourself a cup of tea. Staying off screens for just five minutes can help your brain relax and give you new mental energy. You don’t actually save time if you skip your breaks. You will find that your next hour takes more time and requires more effort.
Make Time for Play
When did you last give yourself a break from checking your phone so often? Instead of watching TV or scrolling, real rest is the best way to handle stress and keep your energy. If you don’t give your brain a break from input, it will never have time to process what it has learned. Before you know it, you’ll be experiencing burnout. It is not only your mood that is damaged by burnout. It distracts you, reduces your memory, and makes your mind work more slowly.
Look at play as something that keeps learning going, instead of a reward for learning. It’s not more work that gives you breaks; you need breaks to be productive in the first place. Playing doesn’t have to be an important event. Sometimes you might laugh with a friend, listen to music, do a puzzle, cook or play catch with your dog. The thing that counts is that it’s real for you, and it doesn’t have to be connected to a screen or an objective.
Spending time to relax isn’t a waste of effort. You’re putting it to work. A study by the University of Michigan has found that those who rest from work and have fun are more likely to find creative solutions and solve problems quickly. Once you return to your work, you find that you are sharper, faster, and less stressed. If you find it hard to set aside time for play, put it in your schedule as a meeting. Protect it. Since rest is essential, not getting enough means you’ll have to pay for it later.
Keep One Hour Untouchable
The majority of people don’t make it a habit to keep one whole hour free from all activities each day. No meetings. No emails. We do not use the phone. No scrolling. A full hour that is only yours — every day. Make sure you place the date on your calendar like it’s top priority. It is, and that’s why.
Use that hour however you like — to deep work, take a break, read, walk, or simply be idle — and that’s still OK. The goal is to take back just one part of your day that’s not about doing things for others. It’s not like time just gets away from us all at the same moment. It leaves us one piece at a time. Just moving one thing forward makes a difference. Over the long run, that short pause will help you stay focused, sharpen your mind, and give you space to reflect.
