Time is fleeting. That is a known fact. You blink, and suddenly you are in your seventiesor your child is now enunciating full sentences like a literature wizard. Where did all the time go? we often ask ourselves.
It is so easy to let time slip away without being intentional about it. That is the lazy route. The “I am just relaxing” cop-out we tell ourselves.
Recently, I have been forced to spend my time more intentionally and productively. But before I could get into that headspace, I had to ask myself: Where do I spend most of my time each day in ways that do not serve my goals? And then it hit me. It is social media: the holy grail of instant gratification and dopamine rush. The fear of missing out. The constant need to keep up with the lives of people who do not even know I exist.
Is it worth it? I asked myself.
Now, I am not trying to be a flag bearer for toxic positivity. But I truly believe that every second that passes in our lives should be viewed as an investment, an investment in becoming the best version of ourselves and reaching our full potential. And yes, there is time for rest. Intentional rest. Rest that does not involve mindlessly scrolling and wasting valuable time.
If I were to tally the minutes, hours, and days I have spent on social media, it would probably amount to years—years lost over almost three decades of life. That is scary. Time that could have been better invested in honing my craft, learning new skills, nurturing relationships, or being present with family. The list is endless.
After reflecting deeply on how much time I have wasted, I made a decision. I deleted the time-wasting, anxiety-inducing, garbage-input apps. Gone. They might come back one day. But only after I have developed habits so deeply ingrained that my first instinct when I have free time is not to reach for my phone to scroll.
Since ditching those apps, I realized it was actually an addiction. And you cannot thrive while addicted. It is distracting. It is soul-sucking. It took a bit of thinking, reflection, and a shift in my life circumstances for me to see just how much time I had been giving away.
Do I miss knowing the latest dance trend or getting the tea on the drama between podcast bros and women just living their lives? Yes, a little. But the amount of time I now have to be productive far outweighs the fear of missing out. I will gladly be the “out-of-touch, cannot-relate” one in the group chat if it means I am growing—every single day, even just a fraction.
So let me ask you:
How do you waste the most time every day? And are you ready to do something about it?
Thrive Mode 
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