It’s a quirky little phrase stolen from the early 90’s Gen-X cult movie Reality Bites. It describes those people around us who manage to waste hours accomplishing nothing. I am sure we are all guilty of it but how do we avoid it?

Here are my top five time wastes. Are you guilty of any of these?

1. Email
Constantly checking your email and replying immediately may make you appear super efficient but it sucks time. Allocate “email checking” times and stick to them. Avoid conducting email conversation, that’s what the other time wasting device called a phone is for.

2. Staff interruptions
Do your staff constantly interrupt you? Easy solution; shut the door to your office. It really is that easy! Put a “Keep out or else” sign up if you have to. If you don’t have an office door, wear earmuffs. Yes, you will look stupid, but you will get stuff done!

3. TwitFace
Are you a TwitFace? You know what I am talking about; a constant Twitter and Facebooker? No one needs to know (or cares) what you are doing every five minutes. Regular updates are great for keeping everyone in the loop but unless you are single handedly saving the world, once a day should do it.

4. Ringing phones
Mobile phones have a fancy little button that not many people use anymore; it’s called the “off” button. If it’s too painful to turn if off then switch it to silent. Remember when mobile phones didn’t exist, people were happy (and possibly more productive).

5. Desktop Disaster Zone
I will admit to having a desktop that looks like small ferrets have ravaged through it. I tell myself that I like it this way as everything is in reaching distance. The truth is that I suck 20 minutes out of my day foraging for things. My nana use to say “cluttered space, cluttered mind”. I have a feeling she may have been correct.