🎯10 Things Every Creator Wastes Time On (and How to Fix Them)
Whether you're writing blogs, recording videos, or building your personal brand — one thing's for sure:
Time is your most valuable resource.
But most creators (yes, even the pros) waste huge chunks of it on things that don’t really move the needle.
Here are 10 time-wasting habits most creators struggle with — and how you can fix them today.
🌀 1. Overplanning Instead of Starting
Endless brainstorming, color-coding your Notion... but no actual output. 👉 Fix it: Set a 20-minute timer and create something messy. Done is better than perfect.
🎨 2. Designing From Scratch Every Time
Every thumbnail, post or PDF doesn’t need to be unique. 👉 Fix it: Use design templates. Canva has thousands — save your style and reuse.
📲 3. Spending Hours on “Research”
Watching YouTube videos or scrolling Twitter for “inspiration” isn’t always productive. 👉 Fix it: Set research limits. 20 mins → then create something with what you have.
📩 4. Writing Without a Content System
Open doc. Stare. Panic. 👉 Fix it: Use outlines. Build content pillars. Reuse formats that work.
📱 5. Jumping Between Apps
Notion → Trello → Google Docs → Slack → Repeat. 👉 Fix it: Consolidate. Use 2–3 core tools. Notion or ClickUp can do most things.
📧 6. Checking Email & Analytics Constantly
Refreshing stats doesn’t make content better. 👉 Fix it: Check once a day. That’s enough.
💬 7. Writing Replies Instead of Evergreen Content
Spending hours replying to DMs or emails = short-term value. 👉 Fix it: Turn common replies into public content you can link to.
⚙️ 8. Fiddling With Fonts & Layout
Design tweaking becomes a way to avoid shipping. 👉 Fix it: Choose a visual identity once. Stick to it for 6 months minimum.
🧹 9. Cleaning Up Systems You Don’t Use
Do you really need 4 content calendars? 👉 Fix it: Archive the fluff. Keep it lean and usable.
⏳ 10. Waiting for “Inspiration”
This is the biggest trap. 👉 Fix it: Make content creation a routine — not a feeling.
✅ Final Tip: Track What Moves the Needle
Instead of asking “what do I feel like doing?”, ask: “What made an impact last time I did it?”
Double down on that. Ignore the rest.