15 Minutes Is All You Need

Apr 22, 2013

timerHow often do you think it would be great if you just had another hour you could get everything done? Except that hour keeps eluding you. I want to share a simple method you can use to get some tasks completed, especially those you don’t like doing. You can also use this to keep you from getting sidetracked in those areas like e-mail and social media that you can get sucked into and lost for hours.
Start by making a list of tasks that are necessary for you to do on a regular basis. Here’s what part of my list looks like:
Don’t Like To Do
Filing
Paying Bills
Reviewing Timesheets
Like To Do
E-Mails
Social Media
Determine the times of day that you need to do these and put them into your schedule in 15 minute increments. Even if you don’t put them into your schedule, you’re going to stick to the 15 minute rule.
Then you’ll need a timer. I prefer to use an old fashioned kitchen timer, but you can use the timer on your cell phone if that works for you. When you’re ready to get started turn everything else off or down so there are no distractions during the 15 minutes.
By being focused on the one task for 15 minutes you will be able to get through those tasks you dread. If they are currently piled up, doing them more frequently at first will help to get them caught up and allow you to reduce how often you have to file or pay bills, etc.
One final note that will help you with the e-mail and social media vortex is having specific times that you block out during the day to do these. It will give you the focus you need to work on other projects. My email checks usually happen 1 hour 15 minutes apart from each other and my social media is every 3 hours. When the 15 minutes are up finish what you’re immediately working on and stop.
I have found this so useful in my business that I started to use it in my personal life, for laundry, washing the dishes and in case you’re wondering those are all on the “Don’t Like To Do” list.