This is a permanent post--I will update it occasionally.  Some aspects of being an artist, and improving as an artist are difficult: it requires skill, creativity, passion and vision.  Progress generally involve hard work and there are seldom short-cuts.  But other aspects are primarily a matter of organization and discipline.  If you reduce your 'wasted' time, you'll have more time to devote to the time-intensive activities.  The list below is where I usually find myself wasting time, causing a 2-hour project to turn into a 2-day project.