It was written by Clarkson, Jimmy Messer, Malcolm Pardon, and Fredrik Rinman, sampling riffs from Ira Losco's "Uh Oh".

On July 27, 2007, Sony BMG UK exclusively revealed "Don't Waste Your Time" as the second single from My December to be released in the United Kingdom.

[6] Rolling Stone editor Rob Sheffield wrote that her voice sags this song which according to him haves the best line of whole album: "Friend?

"[7] Sputnik editor Dave Donnely wrote that ‘Don’t Waste Your Time’ boasts catchy hooks, but according to him "the verses are stagnant, bogged down by a rigid rhyming scheme which prevents the singer from injecting any fluidity into her performance.

"[8] Stylus Magazine editor Josh Love wrote: "As lyrically sour as it may be, “Don’t Waste Your Time” is a fantastically layered pop-rocker.

The video itself features Clarkson with long, dark hair asleep on a large gothic bed covered in vines, as if to be a darker version of Sleeping Beauty, waiting for a prince to awaken her with a kiss.

The video ends with the prince finally reaching the bed on which Clarkson lies asleep, but it is nearly invisible due to the black vines growing around it.