Do you find yourself struggling to finish daily tasks, meet deadlines, or just get organized? If time hasn’t been on your side, you’re not alone, but you’re also not doomed to stay this way forever. With just 15 minutes a day, you can change your life for the better long-term!
All you need to change your life is 15 minutes a day. By breaking down tasks into 15-minute increments, you make it easier to stay motivated. This approach is similar to the Pomodoro Technique, which breaks down tasks into 25-minute blocks, and regimens practiced by Bill Gates and PayPal founder, Elon Musk, who break down their days into five-minute increments. Here’s what you need to know to make it work.
Change Your Life in Fifteen Minutes with this One Fabulous Strategy.
The 15-Minute Rule
Part of the reason tasks can feel so daunting is because it can take time to power through them. If you think about how long it will take you to finish an item on your to-do list, you’re more likely to procrastinate. Often, people find the same tasks much more approachable when they apply the 15-minute rule.
The concept is simple: Work on the task at hand for 15 minutes, then allow yourself a five-minute break. When you break down a task into shorter increments, it becomes more manageable. In essence, you’re tricking your brain into looking at your to-do list on a smaller scale. Working in shorter bursts, and knowing a break is coming soon, makes it easier to push through the task.
Similar Approaches
The Pomodoro Technique, first developed in 2011 using a “tomato timer,” breaks down activities into short blocks of 25 minutes, with five-minute breaks in between. For every four 25-minute blocks, you’re allowed an additional 20 to 30-minute break.
Taking this technique a step further, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates organizes his days by five-minute blocks, as does PayPal founder, Elon Musk. Both men map out their daily schedules, planning every five minutes down to every activity and every break. Whether you work for five or 25 minutes at a time, what’s important is that you use a timer to make whatever you’re doing feel less daunting.
Now, it’s Your Turn
Give one or more of these techniques a try and see how it affects your productivity. If you don’t have a timer handy, Productivity Timer can help you organize your own schedule, letting you set the length of your work sessions and breaks. See what can you get done in 15 minutes. It might change your life.
~Here’s to Your Success
