Some routines just feel useful. They make you seem like you have your life together, but if you look a little closer, they’re actually just busywork in disguise. Let’s look at thirteen of these common habits that nobody questions, yet could actually be a waste of time. What routines are you doing that might actually be pointless?
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Reading 10 Pages of a Self-Help Book Every Morning
Sure, you’re reading pages of that self-improvement book every morning, but are you actually using anything from it? Or are those 10 pages just a ritual so you feel like you’re doing growth? You have to make changes after the book closes, or else it’s just a way to feel better about things without actually doing anything. After all, actions speak louder than words.
Taking Brain Supplements Every Morning
Some people swear by nootropic brain pills and will say that these supplements help them focus, while forgetting where they put their keys. Most of these have ingredients you already get from a balanced breakfast, or perhaps even coffee. Unless your doctor says otherwise, you’re probably popping placebos. It’s time to stop.
Drinking Lemon Water
Many health influencers will tell you about the lemon water cleanse, which is supposed to make the toxins disappear from your system first thing in the morning. However, your liver’s already doing the heavy lifting. The lemon just makes your water taste better. It’s not exactly harmful, yet it’s also not the miracle detox you hoped for. Is there any point to it?
Color-Coding Everything On Your Calendar
At first, you think you’re smart for color-coding everything, like red for work and blue for fun. But after a week, you forget what the colors mean. You start spending more time choosing highlighter shades than getting anything done. Eventually, the rainbow system becomes a way for you to put off the things you need to do, and that’s not helping anybody.
Rewriting Your To-Do List Every Morning
There’s something quite satisfying about starting fresh with a new to-do list. Many people believe that if they just rewrite it neatly, all their problems will vanish. But let’s be real. It’s more likely that you’re just copying half the same stuff from yesterday, and while the paper might be new, the procrastination is the same as it was before.
Checking All Your Email Folders First Thing
Starting the day by opening six inbox tabs is a trap, no matter how many times you tell yourself it’s “getting organized.” By noon, you’ve replied to three spam emails and unsubscribed from a candle store, yet you haven’t done your actual job. One inbox is plenty. Leave the rest alone because it’s really not that important.
Decluttering One Drawer a Day
While you think you’re Marie Kondo-ing your life one junk drawer at a time, the truth is that you’ve moved random stuff from one spot to another without a real plan. By Friday, you have five neat drawers and one monstrous “overflow bin” you pretend doesn’t exist. How exactly is that helping you?
Doing Daily Affirmations in the Mirror
In theory, standing in front of your reflection saying “I am powerful” is great for your sense of confidence. But if you’re not actually believing those words, you’ll start to feel fake rather quickly. It might even backfire for people with low self-esteem. In other words, it works for some people, but don’t force it if it makes you cringe. You could put the time into something that’s far more useful for you.
Drinking a Gallon of Water a Day
We’ve all seen those people lugging around jugs of water like gym trophies, yet chugging it all day isn’t necessary for everyone. If you’re constantly in the bathroom or forcing down water you don’t want, it’s probably not good for your body. You get plenty of water from the food you eat. Thirst is a real signal that you need to drink, and you don’t need to drown it out.
Keeping a “Gratitude Jar”
Writing a daily “I’m grateful for” note sounds nice, until the jar starts collecting dust and you can’t remember if you wrote one yesterday or last month. That’s not to say you should stop showing gratitude. However, if it turns into one more thing to feel guilty about, maybe it’s time to rethink the jar. You have to put those words into practice, no matter how difficult it might feel, because it’s just wasted time otherwise.
Washing Your Face Multiple Times a Day
That squeaky-clean feeling after your third face wash of the day isn’t as helpful as you think, as overdoing it could mess with your skin barrier. It actually could cause more issues than it solves, especially if you’re breaking out or flaking. Your skincare might be working against you. It really doesn’t matter how minty it smells.
Scheduling Catch-Up Days
Everyone has those days they block off and claim they’re catch-up days. But the funny thing is how these days often turn into inbox-checking, and staring at tabs you forgot to close. You set aside a day to “do stuff” without actually deciding what stuff you’re going to do. Chances are, not having a structure means that you’ll ignore your to-do list all day.
Making a Weekly Meal Plan
There’s nothing like sitting down with good intentions and a cute planner, only to come home with ingredients for meals you already can’t finish. Without checking your fridge first, you’ll end up double-buying and forgetting about leftovers. You’re left with that sinking feeling of why you bought three bags of spinach again. Yes, it’s meal planning, but without a backup from reality.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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