Gabe Silverstein
February 28, 2023 • 3 min read
Don't Kill Time, Use Time
Killin’ time — Image Credit: Author
Have you ever heard someone say “Hey, I’ve got an hour to kill”?
If your Life = Time, and you want to kill an hour (being time) doesn’t that loosely translate into “Life
= Kill”?
OK, I’m jumping the gun a bit, for lack of a better metaphor. But seriously, how often do we waste our
time? Now, there are dozens of books on this, and time-management or distractions are not something I
want to dive deep into right now, but let’s use a simple perspective shift to change how we frame our
time.
Although you can argue that “Killing time” is just an expression, it’s an expression that is better off
not used.
To put it bluntly, change your speech and perspective from “Killing time” to “Using time”, no matter the
time or place.
Instead of “Killing time” in a waiting room for example, shift your perspective to “Using time” —
whether it’s for something productive or not. Even if you play games on your phone or browse social
media for 15 minutes — that is OK! That time is your life too.
I hate to break it to you, but in fact all of your time IS your life. So make the most of each moment!
At work, at home, with friends, family, or even alone! Hey, that rhymes!
By re-framing your “15 minutes to kill”, into “I have 15 free minutes to myself”, you thus rephrase how
you value your time.
Instead of killing your time, you are now using it.
Instead of framing an unexpected impromptu free time as a negative experience, and one you have to
“kill”, change your perspective by viewing this time in a positive light.
This concept can be applied to other situations too, from relaxing in the evening, to taking a break at
work. It’s all truly your time, even if you are not working for yourself.
Of course, this time period may not be the most optimal or positive one. Sometimes you do really want
the time to fast forward! However, it is during these sour moments that you can stop and simply enjoy
the time you have. You can still take advantage of this time to do something fun, productive or
valuable, instead of “killing it” — as best you can.
Before: “Ok, great now I’ve got an hour to kill.”
After: “Great! Now I have an extra hour in my day to…”
Instead of feeling guilty or mad for doing a less-than-desirable activity in a time that you would
rather be doing something else, you can now enjoy and appreciate that time.
Try this technique the next time you want to kill time. Don’t feel like you are “Killing time” — use it!
Have fun, do something productive, meditate, journal on your phone, recall a funny time or place you had
with someone, look through some past photos on your phone, or even look up at the sky and be grateful to
be alive — you will appreciate your time much more.
If you enjoyed this article, consider liking, commenting and sharing.
I really appreciate it!
Originally published February 28, 2023