EP #292 The 5 Things Wasting Most of Your Time
We say time is our most valuable resource…
But most of us waste huge chunks of it without realizing it. Not because we are lazy, but because we built habits around one off situations and never stopped to ask if they still make sense. In this solo episode, I share five common time wasters that feel productive on the surface yet quietly steal time from what matters most, building a generous culture, serving people well, and doing meaningful work.
From bloated meetings and inbox spirals to proposal perfectionism, over engineered replies, and long monologues where no one feels heard, I show how these patterns train your team to believe their time does not matter. I then reframe each one with a generous mindset, so you can reshape meetings, set boundaries around email, simplify proposals, communicate faster, and ask better questions that create connection instead of just more noise.
If you want to stop looking busy and start investing your time in people, purpose, and real impact, this episode will help you see exactly where your habits need to change. It will also challenge you to use the time you get back not for distraction, but for generosity.
*Enroll in the “Feeling Generous” Email course 📧
Have a generous week of time.⌚
What You'll Learn to do in Today's Episode:
Why “numbers‑only” leadership is dangerous
How high performers can hide deep stress, anxiety, and burnout behind flawless output.
Why ignoring the human behind the performance eventually destroys both the person and the results.
How a generous mindset makes leadership more human
The difference between a leader who pushes for more production and one who sees, values, and supports the person.
Why generosity, attention, empathy, time, and understanding, is a performance strategy, not just kindness.
Six human‑centered practices of generous leaders
How to notice subtle shifts in energy, engagement, and communication before someone breaks.
How to create psychological safety so people can be honest about struggle without fear of punishment.
How to ask better questions that honor the person (“How are you really?”) instead of only the project.
How to address the whole person - mental, emotional, physical, spiritual - so performance is sustainable.
How to lead with humanity first: connection before correction, understanding before demands.
How to invest in inner capacity and emotional resilience as a competitive advantage for your team.
Practical steps you can take this week
Simple check‑ins, more generous questions, and small adjustments that move your culture from output‑only to genuinely human and generous.
How to begin building a generous workplace culture where people can win inside and outside of work.\
Quotes Worth Sharing:
“You build habits to solve one problem and then keep repeating them long after the problem is gone.”
Bob DePasquale
“Most meetings are not evil, they are just habits no one has questioned.”
Bob DePasquale
“If people walk out of your meetings thinking their time does not matter, do not be surprised when their engagement drops.”
Bob DePasquale
“Your inbox will take as much of your day as you are willing to give it.”
Bob DePasquale
“Proposal perfectionism feels like excellence, but often it is just elaborate procrastination.”
Bob DePasquale
“Good and shipped is more generous than perfect and never used.”
Bob DePasquale
“Overthinking replies does not make you more caring, it just makes everyone wait longer.”
Bob DePasquale
“A generous culture does not need more monologues, it needs more questions and more listening.”
Bob DePasquale
“Time is one of the most generous things you can give. Wasting it is one of the quickest ways to erode culture.”
Bob DePasquale
Resources from Today’s Episode:
On Time Management & Using Time Well
Mastering Your Schedule: Effective Time Management Strategies for Success – University of Pennsylvania LPS Online
Walks through practical techniques like time blocking, Pomodoro, and “eat the frog,” with a focus on aligning your daily schedule with your real priorities.
Especially useful if you want structure to support the kind of intentional, generous time use Bob describes.
21 Time‑Management Habits All Leaders Should Learn – World Economic Forum
Covers leader‑specific habits like building buffer time, blocking menial tasks, controlling distractions, and focusing on the one thing that matters most each day
Pairs well with this episode’s challenge to question your “default” habits and reclaim time for higher‑impact work
My Book - Personal Finance in a Public World
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