Why the ‘inefficient’ things may be your best productivity tools

At first glance, certain uses of time look unproductive. But if you zoom out, they often turn out to be among the wisest investments you can make.

Breaks that push you forward

Consider breaks. Stepping back from a problem can feel like stalling. Yet how many times has clarity struck you after a pause—a walk, a cup of tea, even a shower? The act of stepping away often reveals the direction that sheer persistence could not. This connects right back to our opening idea: what looks like lost time is often a smart investment in disguise.

The same is true at work. Frequent restorative breaks—drinking water, strolling a bit, stretching at your desk—are not distractions. They reduce stress, give your body a metabolic nudge, and sustain the very focus you depend on for deep work.

As Edwin C Bliss rightly put it:

“Anything that contributes to health is good time management.”
Sprinting at breakneck speed can feel productive in the moment, but if it leads to burnout, illness, or lifestyle diseases, your multi-year output collapses. Investing in health—through pauses, movement, sleep, and nutrition—may look like a time cost today, yet over a larger time frame it becomes a compounding productivity asset.
People: The Most “Unproductive” Yet Most Valuable Use of Time
Another area where this counterintuitive principle shines is in relationships. Spending time with people doesn’t always feel efficient. The activity might not advance your goals, and conversations may drift away from work altogether. Yet, people are almost always a good use of time.

I’ve experienced this firsthand during my evening walks. For years, I’ve used them to push forward my reading habit—listening to audiobooks on Kindle and Audible while walking or on the treadmill. But many times, my daughter, my wife, or even one of my neighbor friends joins me. When they do, I don’t hesitate to pause the audio. The chats we share may not move my reading list forward, but they strengthen bonds that matter far more in the long run. Just like health, relationships demand steady, ongoing investment.

The bigger picture

Here’s the real counterintuitive twist: many people equate setting up a formal time management system with squeezing in more work. It’s not. When you manage your time appropriately, you gain control over your work. That control gives you the freedom to pace yourself, reduce stress, and remain flexible enough to seize serendipitous opportunities when they arise.

Breaks and people may look like inefficiencies on the surface. In truth, they’re pillars of sustainable productivity. Time management, at its best, isn’t about doing more. It’s about living better by having control on our time usage.

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