Think about this for a moment … how many times during the day do you have a couple of minutes to spare?
Maybe 5 minutes while you’re on hold on a telephone call, 10 minutes waiting for a tradesperson to finish a job or just a few minutes before you’re due to leave for an appointment. That’s not really enough time to start anything new, right?
WRONG!
It may seem like that’s not enough time to do much but you may be surprised by just what you can do in ‘just a few minutes’, and by how much that adds up over time.
Things such as:
- update your to-do list
- make a quick phone call
- read an article from an industry magazine
- update your diary
- clean out a desk drawer
- tidy your desk
- organise one of your files
- dictate a letter or notes for a project you’re working on
- tidy your CDs or DVDs
- update your whiteboard
- back up your computer
- write a new blog post, or make a list of topics you could write about
- comment on someone else’s blog
What else could you do during those times when you only have a few minutes?
Using these small windows of time effectively is one of my secrets to achieving so much each day. I always keep a pen and notepad in my handbag so I can make notes of ideas if I’m caught waiting while out and about, and my mobile phone doubles as another great way to record notes while out.
I also keep .mp3 audios of interviews or podcasts handy so I can listen to them while going for a walk or while waiting for appointments.
Not only do these things make me more productive, they also make ‘waiting’ much more enjoyable!
