faffing around
Puttering without purpose
Faffing around is British slang for wasting time on trivial or ineffective activity, puttering without accomplishing much.
It suggests aimless busyness rather than laziness: Stop faffing around and get ready—we're going to be late.
The phrase carries mild exasperation, often directed at someone who should be doing something more productive.
- indecisivenessFailure to commit
- potteringAimless light activity
- dawdlingLeisurely time-wasting
- dragging feetDelaying through reluctance
- mucking aboutAimless playful activity
distraction · dithering · meandering · fiddling · twiddling thumbs · stalling · shilly-shallying · loitering · killing time · wasting time · hesitation · spinning wheels · going nowhere · delaying · laziness · time-wasting · frustration · boredom
faffing aroundfocusing
Concentrating on one point
getting things done · concentrating · buckling down · knuckling down · applying oneself
faffing aroundexecuting
Carrying out a task
delivering · cutting to the chase · streamlining · optimizing
faffing aroundgetting things done
Accomplishing tasks effectively
grinding · hustling · buckling down · knuckling down · making progress