The one question to ask to make the next few months a little easier
The barrenness of dead time.
When everything starts getting overwhelming, I don’t always need a new system, a planner, or some life-changing app. Sometimes, I just need to rethink what’s on my schedule.
I use one quick question to make life a little easier.
“Where are the dead time sucks in my schedule?”
I hate feeling busy but unproductive. It’s the worst kind of tiredness — doing everything and accomplishing nothing. I call it the “hamster wheel” syndrome. Running on a treadmill with no “off” button. But getting nowhere. It’s not just a waste of time.
It’s a waste of life.
“The harder you struggle to fit everything in, the more of your time you’ll find yourself spending on the least meaningful things.” — Oliver Burkeman
My one simple question helps me find how I’m leaking time in the dumbest places. And what I can do about it.
Where exactly is my time going?
These are the usual culprits:
- A new tab to quickly check something for “just for five minutes” that turns into forty-five.
- Meetings that should’ve been emails — or better, nothing at all.
- Tasks I hold onto to out of habit, not because they still matter.
- Saying “yes” to things I’m not even into anymore.
- Binging a TV show just to find out how it ends.
We stay in the same routines because it’s familiar. But here’s the thing — we’re not supposed to do things on autopilot for months. Especially if it’s the worst way to spend our lives. Every now and then, we need a little “routine derail” to come alive. Feel alive. Or make life easier going forward.
Why it works
Asking “Where are the dead time sucks?” does something subtle but powerful. It reveals the obvious waste we’ve been avoiding. It’s not “Why can’t I manage my time better?” or “What’s wrong with me?”
It’s a curious question that gives you permission to prune.
I use it to get rid of “dead time” activities and tasks. I quit books and podcast’s I don’t really enjoying. I unsubscribe from the guilt-fuelled obligations. The newsletters I don’t read. I shut down the rabbit-hole scrolling sessions on Instagram.
Make it tangible
If you want to try it for real, start here:
- Look at your calendar for last week. What drained you, and didn’t give much back?
- What habits sneak into your day when you’re tired, bored, or avoiding something?
- What do you keep saying “yes” to out of guilt, not joy or purpose?
Once you spot the time sucks, you can start patching the leaks.
You don’t need to overhaul your life. Just prune the 10% that doesn’t serve you. That might mean rethinking the third meeting of the day. Or the many evening binge sessions.
When you do that you get back chunks of time — not just minutes, but mental space. The kind of space that lets you respond to life. Most people just react. The kind that makes room for creativity. For rest. For actually enjoying the things you say are important.
If you want the next few months to feel a little less like a blur and a little more like a choice, start with:
“Where are the dead time sucks in my schedule?”
Then go find them. Kill them off. Reclaim your hours.
Dead time sucks don’t just steal your schedule — they steal your presence. And when you clear them out, even a little, you get to show up better. Not just for work, but for yourself, your people, and your life.
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