Two articles about taking advantage of time from a secular perspective. We can use these tips to maximize our time for Avodas Hashem [learning, chesed, tehillim etc.]. And remember - exercising and family time is ALSO Avodas Hashem!
People often complain about having too much to do, and too little time. And in our busy lives, that is frequently true.
But one of the reasons we feel this way is because we don’t make productive use of little pockets of time.
Of course there are major procrastinators among us, but in general I think people are pretty good at getting things done when they have at least an hour to focus on something.
Whereas I think we squander away a few minutes here and there, all day long, because we don’t believe anything substantial can be accomplished in such a short block of time.
But a few minutes here and there can add up to hours of missed opportunity.
Imagine if we could cross things off our to-do list, or take steps toward long-term goals, when these small windows present themselves.
It is possible. Productivity can be achieved in seconds and minutes, not only hours.
There are two primary keys to making this a reality.
The first, and arguably most important key, is identifying everyday triggers.
There are numerous things in our daily lives that cause us to wait for a few minutes. These are the regular triggers I’m talking about.
For example, it might take two minutes for the hot water to kick in when you turn on the shower, three minutes for your computer to boot up, or five minutes for your coffee to brew in the morning. All of these are everyday occurrences that can lead to short periods of wasted time.
Do you just stand there waiting for the water to heat up, or does turning the knob on the shower trigger you to do something productive?
I used to just stand there, periodically putting my hand under the water to see if it was suitably warm. Therefore I was wasting at least couple minutes every single day, just from this one occurrence.
Meanwhile, I was also complaining that I didn’t have enough time to go to the gym for strength training. I had just assumed that I needed at least 30 minutes to get in a workout.
But then, a few months ago, I decided that something is better than nothing, so I started doing pushups in the couple minutes between turning the shower on and the water warming up. This began with a set of 20 pushups (all I could do in one set, at the time), and now I am able to do 75 pushups in one set as the water warms. I notice the strength gains just from maximizing these two minutes, every single day. And it all works because turning on the shower acts as an automatic trigger.
The second key is determining what can be done in these little chunks of time.
Pushups are a great example, because they can be done anywhere and don’t require any setup or special equipment. And just one set of pushups to exhaustion, every single day, yields noticeable strength gains. But this could just as easily be situps, jumping jacks or anything else. All can be done in just a couple minutes, and add up to big gains over time.
Or if de-stressing is a goal, take the three minutes while your computer boots up to meditate. Close your eyes and just focus on your breathing for a few minutes. There are numerous studies that show this small amount of meditation can reduce stress. Your computer booting up is the perfect trigger for meditation, putting you into the right frame of mind before you start a work day (or check email, etc.).
Or maybe talking to your family is important to you, but often squeezed out of your daily life. In that case, the coffee brewing can be the trigger to call mom (or dad, brother, sister, etc.). Five minutes (or less) is all it takes to make the connection.
Did you ever think that these small bits of time could lead to better physical fitness, reduced stress, and improved family relationships?
It is all possible as long as you automate the triggers and corresponding activities. And by focusing on triggers that happen every single day, you will be building powerful (and enduring) habits. Research has shown that it takes just 21 days to form a new habit.
What else happens in your daily life that could be re-framed as a few minutes of new opportunity?
It’s time to think differently in order to maximize these little pockets of time.
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No room in your day for exercise, networking, volunteering, reading, or any of the other priorities that keep getting bumped from your to-do list? A time-management expert demonstrates how easy it can be to liberate minutes, if not hours, from tight schedules. Yes, even yours.
6:30 a.m.
Quit the snooze button: Get up right away. Thirty minutes of margin gives you enough time to run on a treadmill (or outside!) for 20 minutes. Do this four times per week and you’ll meet the CDC’s “vigorous exercise” guidelines–and feel more energized than you will from that extra half hour of snoozing.
7:15 a.m.
Pray/count your blessings in the shower: Most people let their minds wander in there anyway. Why not nudge yourself in a positive direction?
7:45 a.m.
Put a reading app (Kindle, Instapaper, Pocket) on your phone: A recent study by Asurion revealed that Americans check their phones, on average, 80 times a day. Use 10 of those reflexive scrolling breaks to read an article or a book. You can even tackle War and Peace on your Kindle app this way: Tolstoy’s chapters are really short, ideal for three-minute breaks.
8:00 a.m.
Commute with a friend: It might not be practical every day, but sharing the ride with a friend–or your partner–once a week will turn what might be wasted time into the social highlight of your day.
9:00 a.m.
Establish the 20/45 rule: Most 30- or 60-minute meetings can be trimmed to 20 or 45, with discipline. That wins you back precious time. Try not to fill this extra time with more meetings.
10:45 a.m.
Take smokeless breaks: Smoking is terrible, but getting away from your desk and outside every few hours is smart. Copy smokers–without lighting up–by going for a quick, mood-boosting walk at lunch and mid-afternoon.
12:00 p.m.
Nix errands and limit your virtual window-shopping: According to the American Time Use Survey, the average American spends more than 40 minutes per day buying stuff. Plan ahead, and you can easily chop this in half.
2:15 p.m.
Use those walking breaks to mentor: Ask a younger colleague to join you for a 15-minute chat. (Bonus: Outside the office, they’re more likely to ask real questions.)
5:30 p.m.
Don’t fear commitment: If you want to volunteer at a homeless shelter or literacy program or soup kitchen, do it. Sign up for a regular gig, and why not make it a Thursday evening? You’ll have a great excuse to push back on that 5 p.m. meeting request.
6:00 p.m.
Host a Sunday-night potluck: Or an every-Monday happy hour, or any recurring get-together with friends that you don’t have to plan from scratch. It’s the planning that people dread. Save that time for the actual socializing.
8:00 p.m.
Put a limit on housework: The average American spends about 30 minutes per day on household chores (not counting food prep and cleanup). Set a 15-minute timer for tidying. If it doesn’t happen during this time, it wasn’t urgent.
9:30 p.m.
Turn off the TV: Americans with full-time jobs still manage to watch more than two hours of TV per day, according to the ATUS. Trim that to 90 minutes and you’ve got 30 minutes to read, practice an instrument, or chat with friends or family without serious sacrifice.
10:30 p.m.
Give yourself a bedtime: Going to bed early is how grown-ups sleep in. You’ll be less likely to hammer that snooze button in the morning so you can get the new day off to a productive start.
