How we spend our free time says a lot about us.

For some, it’s a chance to recharge, pursue personal goals, or learn something new.

For others, it becomes a missed opportunity—a stretch of hours lost to habits that do little to move them forward in life.

If you’ve ever wondered why some people seem stuck in a cycle of inaction, their approach to free time might hold the answer.

People who lack discipline and drive often fall into patterns that keep them stagnant. It’s not always about laziness; sometimes, it’s about not knowing how to use time intentionally.

By recognizing these habits, you can better understand what holds them back—and maybe even reflect on ways to avoid similar pitfalls in your own life. 

Here are eight habits I’ve seen—some of which I’ve lived—that signal a lack of drive and discipline.

1) Binge-watching 

We all love a good Netflix binge from time to time.

But if that’s all you’re doing with your free time, you’re not utilizing your potential for growth and development.

Don’t get me wrong, relaxation is essential.

However, spending all your free time consuming mindless content won’t help you grow or achieve your goals.

It’s easy to trick ourselves into believing that we are ‘learning’ from the shows we watch.

In reality, we’re often just avoiding the challenging work of personal development.

Take responsibility for your personal growth. Engage in activities that challenge you and help you learn new skills. Read a book, take an online course, or practice a new hobby.

Binge-watching may be comfortable, but it’s not conducive to personal growth or achievement.

2) Procrastinating

I’ve fallen into the trap of procrastination more times than I care to admit.

It’s an easy habit to develop and a challenging one to break.

Procrastination is not the same as taking a well-deserved rest; it’s a form of avoidance, a way of shirking responsibility for our actions.

When you procrastinate, you’re not only delaying tasks but also missing out on the opportunity to grow, learn, and move closer to your goals.

Research published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology indicates that procrastination is linked to increased stress and decreased well-being, highlighting its detrimental impact on personal development.

Take control of your time and responsibilities. Recognize when you’re procrastinating and take small steps to overcome it.

Act on your tasks, no matter how small they may seem. As Mark Twain wisely said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

Procrastination gets you nowhere; action propels you forward. 

3) Consuming content without intention 

While it’s easy to get lost in the endless stream of social media posts or TV series, this passive consumption doesn’t lead to real personal development.

One way to make better use of your free time is by engaging in intentional learning.

A resource I highly recommend is the “Free Your Mind” masterclass with Rudá Iandê.

This enlightening journey is designed to help you break free from societal conditioning and limiting beliefs, fostering greater authenticity and freedom in your life.

In this masterclass, you’ll learn how to align your actions with your personal values, leading to improved mental clarity and emotional resilience.

It’s a proactive step towards personal growth that offers a profound and practical approach to understanding oneself.

Don’t just consume content; seek out opportunities for intentional learning.

Take the first step towards true personal development and join the “Free Your Mind” masterclass today. 

4) Mindless scrolling 

In the age of social media, it’s easy to confuse scrolling through feeds with genuine human connection.

We like, comment, and share, but are we really connecting?

Just as consuming content without intention isn’t growth, mindless scrolling isn’t connection.

True connection requires effort, vulnerability, and authenticity.

It involves meaningful conversations and shared experiences, not just a quick double tap on a screen.

Remember, your time is precious.

Instead of wasting it on superficial online interactions, invest it in building authentic relationships that provide support, joy, and shared growth.

Are you using your free time to forge real connections or are you just scrolling through life? 

5) Chasing success 

Many people spend their free time striving for success, believing that the next promotion or paycheck will bring them happiness.

However, the relentless pursuit of success can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction.

A study found that individuals who prioritize external achievements over personal values are more susceptible to burnout and decreased well-being.

True prosperity and satisfaction come not from chasing external markers of success, but from aligning our actions with our deepest values.

It’s about using our time, energy, and resources as tools for positive change.

Instead of spending your free time chasing after traditional notions of success, think about what truly matters to you.

Invest your time in activities that align with your values and contribute to your personal growth and the betterment of the world.

Success is not a destination; it’s a journey of constant learning and growth. 

6) Being busy 

We often equate busyness with productivity.

We fill our free time with activities, believing that being busy means we’re making progress.

But busyness can often lead to exhaustion without any significant accomplishment.

True productivity is about accomplishing what truly matters, not just ticking off tasks from a to-do list.

It’s about investing your time in activities that contribute to your goals and personal growth, rather than filling your schedule for the sake of appearing busy.

Reconsider how you spend your free time. Are you genuinely being productive, or are you just keeping yourself busy to avoid confronting your challenges and fears?

Productivity is not about doing more; it’s about doing what matters most.

Every moment spent on a non-essential task is a moment lost from working on something that truly matters to you. 

7) Avoiding failure 

Many of us spend our free time avoiding tasks or challenges where we might fail.

We stay in our comfort zones, opting for easy wins rather than taking risks that could lead to significant growth.

However, avoiding failure doesn’t lead to success.

In fact, it’s through overcoming obstacles and setbacks that we learn, grow, and become more resilient.

Embrace the possibility of failure as an opportunity for learning rather than something to be feared.

Are you spending your free time playing it safe or are you willing to take risks and challenge yourself?

Success is not the absence of failure but the ability to bounce back and learn from it. 

8) Living without purpose 

If our free time is spent without a sense of purpose or direction, it can lead us to feel aimless and unfulfilled.

While it’s essential to relax and unwind, having a sense of purpose in our lives gives our actions meaning and direction.

Research published in Frontiers in Psychology highlights that leisure activities imbued with personal meaning significantly enhance overall life satisfaction and well-being.

Living with purpose is about aligning our actions with our deepest values and passions.

It’s about using our time, energy, and resources in a way that reflects who we are and what we care about most.

Are you living with purpose, or are you merely drifting through life?

A life filled with purpose leads to a sense of fulfillment that mindless leisure can never provide. Start now.

Embracing discipline and drive

In this article, we’ve explored the habits that can lead to a lack of discipline and drive in our free time.

We’ve seen how being busy isn’t the same as being productive, how avoiding failure doesn’t lead to success, and how living without purpose can result in aimlessness.

By acknowledging these habits and understanding their impact on our lives, we can begin to make changes that foster personal growth, resilience, and authentic living.

It’s not about filling every moment with activity or striving for external markers of success.

It’s about aligning our actions with our deepest values and using our time in a way that reflects who we are and what we care about most.

For those ready to delve deeper into these principles, I highly recommend the free “Free Your Mind” masterclass with Rudá Iandê.

This enlightening journey is designed to help you break free from societal conditioning and limiting beliefs, fostering greater authenticity and freedom in your life.

In this masterclass, Rudá Iandê guides participants through exercises that dismantle common spiritual myths, develop a personal cosmovision, and overcome self-imposed limitations.

This journey fosters mental clarity and emotional resilience, aligning thoughts and actions with personal values.

Joining this masterclass will provide you with the tools to reclaim your free time as a source of personal growth and self-discovery.

Start your journey towards mental and emotional liberation today.