Part of the ProductivityImprovement project.
We use the time we have to do and accomplish particular things. Effectively working on and doing the things that are highest priority at any given time is perhaps the best use of time possible. Thus good time use depends on good understanding of priorities in realtime within contextual constraints. The best system I have found so far for doing this is the GTD method by David Allen (as documented in the book "Getting Things Done").
On the other hand, it is far too easy to waste time in many ways. Perhaps by documenting a few of them, they can be more easily avoided.
There are some tasks that may seem like a waste of time but are not necessarily so. Most involve some form of explicit rest, or reduced activity, toward the goals of both subequent more effective per unit time use, and increased understanding of priorities.
People do not by default focus on tasks that they themselves have explicitly chosen as high priority. My observations have been that people tend to actually not focus, and instead spend most of their time simply reacting to outside input, with internal drives being primarily emotionally/appetite motivated, rather than rationally planned and prioritized.
The "simply reacting" seems a consequence of a lack of an explicit (or perhaps effective) system to handle/process incoming requests (outside input). The lack of priority based time use appears to be a result of not spending any time (nor perhaps having any motivation to do so) to rationally think about, reflect on, and choose broad-term priorities over short term emotional drives and appetites.
Some people have explicit priorities, some people don't.
People with explicit priorities often have different priorities.
I have found that those who think about and act on explicit priorities tend to be more understanding of others with different priorities.
I've observed the inverse as well, that is, those who lack thinking, or an explicit/effective system for prioritization, are either not understanding of others with different priorities, or react to the expression of different priorities emotionally, with anger, frustration, and the expression of disrespect.
Some people can understand their priorities in realtime, others, even sometimes those with explicit priorities, can't.
Those that understand their priorities in realtime, and based on their context, seem to be even more respectful and understanding of others' priorities.
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