Time Stealers: Be More Aware of Your Time

Hello again, it’s Sandro Forte. Today, I want to touch on a topic that affects every single one of us—time stealers.

Over the years, I’ve learned that one of the greatest factors in achieving success—both professionally and personally—is how we choose to spend our time. We all have the same 24 hours in a day, yet some people consistently achieve more. Why? Because they are better at recognizing and eliminating the distractions that quietly rob them of productivity.

Common Time Stealers We All Face

There are a few classic time stealers I see again and again:

• Long, unfocused telephone conversations – These often run far longer than necessary. That’s why I developed my telephone path, which helps keep calls brief and effective.

• Unscheduled visitors – Drop-ins at the office might feel friendly, but they can derail your focus.

• Inefficient meetings – Especially with managers or teams where the agenda isn’t clear.

• Paper shuffling – Moving tasks around without real progress.

• Travel time – Spending too much of your day in the car between client meetings.

Each of these may feel small in isolation, but together they can add up to hours lost every week.

The Biggest Time Stealer of All

Perhaps the greatest time stealer is procrastination. We’re all guilty of pushing things down the road, making excuses that give us short-term comfort but cost us long-term results. When we deal with things head-on, we free up not only our time but also our mental energy.

How to Take Control Back

The solution is about discipline and awareness. Be intentional with your time, make meetings more constructive, and resist the temptation to delay what needs to be done today. By tackling time stealers directly, you’ll free up hours you can invest in more productive and rewarding activities.

Ultimately, managing your time effectively means:
✅ Greater productivity
✅ Stronger performance
✅ Better work-life balance

And isn’t that exactly what we’re all striving for?