A friend once told me that when criminals steal someone’s card details, they rarely begin by withdrawing a huge amount of money. Instead, they start small. A dollar today, ten dollars tomorrow. Just enough to ensure that the transaction goes through but the person who owns the account does not notice, because it’s actually little.
If nobody is monitoring the account, the small withdrawals aren’t questioned with the bank so the scammer gains confidence. Before long, hundreds or even thousands of dollars have disappeared. And perhaps, that’s the time that the owner of the account will pay attention to it or even the bank will let them know that there has been suspicious activity in their account.
What struck me about that conversation wasn’t the money. It was the strategy. The scam only succeeds because nobody notices the small withdrawals.
And it made me wonder; what if the same thing happens with our time?
The Hidden Cost of Small Withdrawals
Most people assume distractions are obvious. We think of endless social media scrolling, binge-watching television, or getting lost in YouTube rabbit holes. But some of the biggest thieves of time are far more subtle. They often disguise themselves as “productive activities”. They look good, responsible, noble and even sometimes, important. I call them time scammers.
The activities, commitments, and habits that quietly withdraw your time, energy, and focus without triggering alarm bells.
Unlike obvious distractions, these are harder to spot because they often feel justified.
The Difference Between Good and Right
One of the most challenging stories in Scripture is the account of Martha and Mary. Martha was busy serving, she wanted her guest to feel welcomed and comfortable. She was actually just being hospitable and her sister was not helping her. To the world, that is phenomenally wrong. You need to be hospitable to your guests… In fact, in some cultures, it’s rude for a guest to come to your place without you offering coffee (even if you had nothing in your pantry)… you still have to be “seen” as doing the right thing. So this scenario between Martha, Mary and Jesus, is arguably the best way to describe a “time thief”. Because she was right in her eyes, however, Jesus told her that Mary chose the best thing.
So the issue wasn’t activity, the issue was alignment.
Martha was focused on a good thing but at the wrong time. Mary was focused on the right thing at the time it was needed. That distinction matters.
Many of us fill our days with good things while unintentionally neglecting the things that matter most.
What has God told you to do? Are you doing things that look justifiably right in your own eyes whilst neglecting what He wants from you?
When Productivity Isn't Progress
Recently, I found myself feeling incredibly busy. My to-do list was moving, I was getting things done. From the outside, everything looked productive, yet something felt off. I felt strangely unfulfilled.
After reflecting on it, I realised why. I had parked one of the major assignments that I felt called to pursue this year. I wasn’t wasting time, I wasn’t procrastinating, I had simply shifted my focus from the main goal to the side show. I was simply spending too much energy on secondary priorities.
The result? Busy but misaligned. Productive but unfulfilled. Active but not advancing what mattered most.
That’s exactly how time scammers operate. They don’t always lure us into obvious distractions. Sometimes they lure us into good opportunities that quietly pull us away from our primary priorities.
Why Regular Review Matters
This is why regular reflection and review are essential. Without review, it’s easy to confuse movement with progress. It’s easy to assume that because we’re busy, we’re advancing. But busyness is not the same as effectiveness.
A simple weekly review can reveal:
- What received most of my attention this week
- Did my calendar reflect my actual priorities
- What moved me closer to my most important goals?
- What activities consumed time without creating meaningful progress
- What needs to change next week?
These questions help expose the small withdrawals before they become major losses.
The Moses Principle
I can’t speak about time thieves or scammers without pointing out that some things that might appear like thieves, could actually be divine realignment. Because sometimes alignment requires paying attention to interruptions.
Moses was tending sheep when he encountered the burning bush. Had he remained completely absorbed in his routine, he may have missed the moment that redirected his life and changed history.
Not every interruption is a distraction. Some are God-inspired invitations.
As Kingdom Builders, discernment helps us recognise the difference.
A Key Question
A key question that you should be asking daily is – “Am I investing my time in what matters most?” Because at the end of the day, productivity isn’t about doing more.
It’s about directing your time, energy, and attention toward the things that matter most.
Your calendar tells a story, your attention tells a story.
Your habits tell a story. The question is whether they are telling the story you actually want to live.
Your Next Step
If you’d like help identifying hidden distractions and protecting your focus, download my free Ditch Distractions Cheat Sheet.
It will help you identify common time scammers, reduce attention leaks, and create simple systems to stay focused on what matters most.
Because your time account is being spent every day.
The only question is whether you’re paying attention to where it’s going.