Making Use of “Wasted” Time
Instead of fretting over lost time, this heuristic encourages using moments like commuting or channel surfing for self-reflection and planning. By asking targeted questions, you can identify thinking patterns and improve productivity.
THE IDEA
Making Use of “Wasted” Time
A short period of waiting or bored channel surfing can provide time to reflect on the day. Replaying “what could have been” and “what can be,” instead of examining a concrete choice, may leave you with little to act on. One way to practice critical thinking is to use a few minutes that would otherwise feel “wasted.” Write down what you decided, why, and what you might change.
Useful questions include:
- When did I do my worst and best thinking today?
- What was it that I was thinking about all day long?
- Did I manage to come to a logical conclusion or was it all in vain?
- Did I indulge in any negative thinking?
- Did the negative thoughts just create a lot of unnecessary frustration?
- If I could repeat this day all over again, what would I change?
- Did I do something that will help me in achieving my goals?
- Did I accomplish anything that’s worth remembering?
Record your answers and look for recurring patterns over time.
When to use it
During a commute when your attention is free, use a few minutes to review a decision from the day.
While waiting in line or for an appointment, use the time to plan your next steps or reflect on recent accomplishments.
Replace the first 15 minutes of aimless internet browsing each evening with a guided journaling session using the reflection questions.
During a lunch break, step away from screens and spend a few minutes contemplating your most productive hour of the morning.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Turn waiting time into reflection time
Instead of scrolling through social media while waiting for a doctor’s appointment, use those 15 minutes to review your day’s goals, what you’ve accomplished, and what you could do better.
Replace channel surfing with journaling
Rather than flipping through TV channels out of boredom, spend that hour writing answers to reflection questions like 'What was my best decision today?' and 'What can I plan for tomorrow?'
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
What small pockets of time in your daily routine (e.g., commuting, waiting, boredom) could you repurpose for self-reflection?
How does consciously reflecting on your thinking patterns change your decisions compared to when you let your mind wander aimlessly?
What one question from the list above would most help you identify a recurring thinking mistake?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Thinking in Systems and Mental Models Think Like a Super Thinker (Dawson, Marcus P)