Are your “wasted” hours actually the key to happiness?

Photo by Mateusz Dach

I hesitate to use the term “waste time”, and I think I avoid that term because it implies that I did something stupid, when it doesn’t really feel that way.

I aim to be intentional with my time.  

And I don’t value-judge about what YOU do with your time. 

No matter what you’re doing with your time, I wouldn’t ever say you wasted it.

Because I don’t know what YOU value about your time.

And then recently I came across a quote that I really, really, loved, and so, of course, I wanted to share it with you.

“Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” - Marthe Troly-Curtin 

Isn’t that lovely?

And it’s so true.

If you enjoyed what you did, then you didn’t waste it, you didn’t squander it.  

In fact, you used your time in one of the best ways that you can, to enjoy yourself.  

And remember that your life is made up of individual moments, so the more of those moments you enjoy, the more fulfilling and satisfying your life will be.

I also love this quote because it flies in the face of the Protestant work ethic, and capitalism and effort moralization, and all the things that lead us to believe that there are categorically “good” ways to spend our time, and that those generally fall into the camp of “being productive”.

And yes, yes, I know, I’m a time management and productivity coach, but my definition of productivity is likely very different from the standard. 

 I don’t think of productivity as “doing as much as you can in the least amount of time”.  

I think productivity is doing what you intended to do.

So, if you intended to do something, and you enjoyed doing it, then in no way is that time wasted.

And, with that, I want to share with you all the ways I “wasted” time on my winter break:

• I threw lots and lots of pots at the pottery studio

• I watched TV with my kids (and binge-watched bad TV by myself)

• I read lots of books (and scrolled lots of TikTok)

• I stared out the window

• I spent time hanging out and lounging around with my family (of choice and of origin)

What’s the last thing you enjoyed that you’re still feeling guilty about?

I invite you to release that guilt, and instead revel in the fact that you made time for enjoyment.