Are You Wasting Your Life?

What image do you have in your mind when you think of someone wasting their life? You probably think of someone very underemployed, living in their parent’s basement, and playing video games. However, even very successful people can be guilty of wasting their lives.

If you spend the majority of your day doing something you’d rather not do, you’re wasting your life. Ideally, your life should be interesting and meaningful to you. It should even be fun and exciting a good part of the time.

The 8 Major Signs of Wasted Time

Avoid wasting your life by understanding the most common symptoms:

You procrastinate too much.

If you just can’t seem to stop yourself from surfing the internet, playing video games, texting your friends, or watching TV, your life might be on the wrong track. If you’re regularly avoiding those things you should be doing, you might be wasting your life.  When you’re miserable, you’re going to do everything you can to amuse yourself in an attempt to make yourself feel better.

People that are not excited with life in general are master procrastinators. Anything to avoid the pain of boredom or despair sounds good to people in this situation.

You spend money foolishly.

Excessive spending can be another sign that you’re wasting your life. Spending too much is another distraction technique. Unfortunately, purchases never do much to enhance your mood after a very short-term boost. You’re left needing to spend more money to feel good again.

You dread getting out of bed during the week.

This isn’t to say you should be jumping for joy when the alarm goes off. However, if you can’t stand the thought of spending another day following your current path, it might be time for a change.

Your negative self-talk is unrelenting.

When you’re wasting your life, your self-talk can be brutal and never seems to let up. You might consider a significant life change if you can’t speak nicely to yourself.

You lack long-term goals that excite you.

A person without long-term goals is simply blowing in the wind. You can’t make significant progress in anything without clear intention. A good goal should be exciting to accomplish.

You’re depressed.

There are a variety of reasons for depression, but one cause is living the wrong life for you. See your doctor but consider the possibility that you might just be unhappy with the direction of your life.  If you dislike your life and don’t like your options, it’s natural to feel depressed.

You avoid others.

When you’re not pleased with your life path, you might feel a little embarrassed by what’s going on. We all want to be that person with a career we love and a passionate attitude about life. Successful people can be an additional reminder that you’re struggling.

You stay in your comfort zone 24/7.

It’s hard to cope when you feel like you’re wasting your life. Any additional stress can feel overwhelming. A common coping strategy is to stay where you know it’s safe.  Watching reruns of your favorite shows, playing video games, avoiding new foods, and hiding at home are common signs that your life path might need an upgrade.

There is Hope!

It’s not easy to admit to yourself that you might be wasting your life, but what’s the point in wasting another day? Make today the day you begin moving toward a life that is interesting and meaningful to you.

There is no one coming to save you, so the responsibility rests upon your shoulders. Take a small step today toward a life that fulfills you.