What is a "Waste of Time"?

[Ventus]

So I was messing around a few days ago saying that debating your opinion is a waste of time, and while I qenuinely believe it IS a waste of time, I know it isn't for some people. And then, there was a time when Wolf Sage said I was wasting my time idling out on ZD. And he was right to me - but others defended my doing nothing.

Anyway what I wanted to know is, what do you consider to be a waste of time? Is something that you don't really care about a waste, is time where you aren't being productive a waste, or maybe you don't believe anything at all is a waste of time?

 

[Awesomehylian]

I think wasting time is a choice, not necessarily doing something specific or not. Like, if you know you have a paper due in a week and you just don't want to do it, you substitute doing work for doing something else. Now, you're not really enjoying this something else because your brain is nagging you about your assignment and you are becoming increasingly stressed out.

To me, the fact that you procrastinated does not automatically make what you did a waste of time. It is the fact that you did it purposefully to avoid work, and because you are avoiding work your attempt at having fun is in vain. If you actually did have fun, it was not a waste of time, but if you spent the time and it was not worthwhile in terms of the purpose of your activity, then it is a waste of time.

 

[Mercedes]

Some Scouser once said "Time you enjoy wasting is not time wasted." I can get on board with that. People might think a lot of things I do are a waste of time, and things other do are the same. Even heard it about relationships, 'Your wasting your time with him' and the like. If I'm enjoying it, and I want to be doing it, then I'm not wasting my time at all am I?

A 'waste of time' is hard to define since it differs on the person I guess. One person's waste of time is another person's good time.

 

[Justac00lguy]

It depends on the opportunity cost, for example; what I could have been doing in the mean time.

So if I decide to go out instead of studying for a test and then I fail that test and jeopardise my place in University, then I see that as a waste of my time on rather what I could have been doing. I may have had a good time, but in the bigger picture that was what I should have been doing and thus it was wasted time.

The same goes for a lot of things, I could be sitting round all day relaxing, when actually I could have went the gym or went shopping etc. If I'm in a relationship and it ends; in hindsight, if I look back and think it's not worth it, then I see that as a waste of time, and money. Maybe I'm quite stubborn like that, of course this doesn't go for all things, everything happens for a reason, I believe, but when you look back in retrospective you always think "what if?" or "I could have done that" etcetera.

 

[misskitten]

I very much agree with the phrase "time you enjoy wasting, isn't wasted time". All people have different ideas on what is enjoyable and what isn't. And like what's already been said about procrastination, you can't truly enjoy the other activities you are doing, because you feel guilty for not doing what you are supposed to be doing.

So if what you're doing is a way to replace or put off things you really should be doing, it could arguably count as wasted time, but if you are free to do as you wish, and you do something you enjoy, regardless of what it is, it cannot be called wasted time, because you chose it out of all the other things you could have been doing instead.

 

[Turo602]

How can we waste time if we don't even have time? Time is not for us to spend, it's for us to manage. How we manage time is different from individual to individual. The time we set aside to be on this forum, is not a waste of time, but a waste of you. We may not think so, but we could be doing much more relevant things right now. Just think about all the other things we are capable of accomplishing if our faces weren't always in front of a screen. But as long as I'm enjoying what I do, I could care less.

 

[Turo602]

"I could care less" means you do actually care. The correct term in this context is "I couldn't care less", which means you don't care at all. You can thank me later

Wait, what do you mean? I must know what you were going to say next! Why did you just cut off mid sentence?

 

[Linknerd09]

Wasting my time means to me that something you are doing, which you shouldn't be doing since you have other things to do that might actually taking your time away...I really hate doing this, especially when I'm in a serious bad mood.

 

[Aurelia]

You know whats a waste of time? Waiting at the DMV to renew your drivers license. Like seriously, I don't need a piece of plastic telling me to drive or not.

 

[Wolf Sage]

Wasting time has two connotations—a negative one and a positive one. The negative connotes using one's time for leisure when one could, or oftentimes, should, be doing something more important and productive with his/her time—procrastination. For instance, if I were given an important order to fill at work, to which I am given forty minutes to fill, then it would be in my (and my job's) best interest to invest my time into completing that task within the alloted time period; doing otherwise is a waste of valuable time (I am on my job's time). In my definition, any amount of time in which nothing is gained is a waste.

On the positive end, using one's free time to dick around, goof off, or lounge may be considered wasting time; however, what proponents of this sentiment fail to realize is that it is YOUR time. This implies that all important, time-specific tasks, such as the one mentioned in the above paragraph, are complete and one has time to spare. In essence, free time does not equate to wasted time, as it is...well...free (I am on my own time). However, there are many variables, and as such, a clear definition is hard to reach...

 

[Imprisoned]

I think a waste of time is doing something you don't want to. Time enjoyed is not time wasted. Otherwise, I'm guilty of wasting about half my life. -w-

 

[CynicalSquid]

Wasting time is either doing something unproductive when you should be doing something important or doing absolutely nothing at all. Sometimes you may not be liking what you are doing, but sometimes you have to. Just because you don't enjoy it, doesn't make it any less important. For example, right now I should be getting ready for my dad's and maybe even doing homework, but I'm wasting my time by posting this instead. If I didn't have anything important to do though, what I'm am doing right now wouldn't be a waste of time. I feel like if there are some things that you can be doing, even if they are important or not, and you're doing nothing, then you are wasting time. Sure, I could have a job and be planning my future instead of browsing on ZD at times, but I don't so I don't think it matters. I could actually go an do that, it's arguable more important, but I never apply myself. Doing something that others may deem "pointless" is better than doing nothing. Anyways, I'm rambling. I feel like doing something is always better than nothing.

 

[DekuTreeSprout]

I believe that a waste of time is doing something you don't want to do. Live life to the fullest I say. Obviously you'll need to make some sacrifices, like working or going to school, but I'm more talking about things that other people may want you to do. Generally I'm the most annoyed when other people try and get me to do something.

 

[CraptainFalcon]

When you know you've done something like watch the 1D movie, then you'll know what a waste of time is.

 

[Scrapperiscool]

School.