Joseph Asare Jnr

I read a tignum article from Scott Peltin, “The Power of 15 minutes” where he makes a list of what just 15 minutes can do to your energy, stamina, mental agility, and resilience. It was definitely an interesting read and I began to think of what else we can do with 15 minutes. But first we need to be able to create 15minutes. That is the hard part. We all have 24hrs in a day, but you will never find 15 idle minutes if you don’t create it. And I mean 15 focussed deliberate minutes not 15 minutes of multi-tasking. The way to keep it focussed is to use a timer. Just looking at a clock won’t work – I guarantee you that. Decide to take a 15-minute break and mentally prepare yourself to be separated from everything else and to focus. Then set an alarm to countdown to 15 minutes or to count up to 15 minutes. And when it goes off, respect it and stop or take a break. 

Practicing the 15 minutes can make you more organized, more focused, more productive, and more efficient. So, these are a few things you can do with your 15 minutes for some great results – again, baby steps but giant strides…

Planning and Reflections

 15 minutes of reflection and planning every weekcan help you accountfor your every week. I have found it amazing because it has made each week this year worthwhile. Take 15 minutes at the beginning of every week to write down in short bullets what you want to get done that week. These should be the main items that contributes to your overall life (or yearly) goals. Keep them tangible and measurable e.g. play tennis 3 times, listen to 2 leadership podcasts etc. Resist making a very long list but make a list of short but stretched items linked to your goals. Take that 15 minutes at the beginning of each new week to do this. Let it be your first 15 minutes of your week. Write them in a book you carry with you always or on your phone as I do. And reference it every morning of the week. Then at the end of the week, take another 15minutes to reflect on the week gone by and review your list. It is ok if all didn’t get down – at least you have accounted for them. Never miss this 15-minute of quiet time to pause and reflect. These 2 separate sessions of 15minutes each can change your life if it becomes a ritual. When you get a hang of it, consider doing it daily!

Quit procrastinating

15 minutes is all you need to quit procrastinating and get started. When you find yourself stuck on a task or activity because it looks too big and complex and you can’t seem to figure out how or where to start from then try this 15-minute timer trick. Set a timer to count down/up to 15 minutes and cut everything off and get focussed on that task. You only want to get it started not finished. You will realize that after 15mins, you want to keep going because you have leaped over the hurdle – its magical.  If you have time, keep going otherwise stay disciplined and stop when the timer says stop. To keep the momentum going, plan to work on your task in 15-minute increments every day or several times a week. You will be done before you know it.

There are so many small but mountain-levelling stuff you can get done within 15 minutes instead of taking 15mins to stare and feel sorry for yourself. 15 minutes is short and seems easier to create or spare but also long enough to get something tangible done. It might be a bit harder in the beginning but it works, I assure you. These are some small steps but giant strides you can take in 15 minutes that may inspire you: 

1. Call some clients and thank them for their business  
2. Wind down the day before you go to bed. I am learning to play worship songs as my way of winding down into bed and telling my brain it is time to shut down and regenerate.
3. Clear up your desk.
4. Read 3-5 pages of a book
5. Power nap that improve your productivity by up to 35% in the day.
6. Take a lone walk break, get more oxygen into your lungs and try to create whilst you walk
7. Organize your calendar and block times to handle tasks related to your goals
8. Surprise someone by sending a handwritten note
9. Solicit a quick on-the-spot feedback from colleagues or spouse
10. Review your memory verses

So, take a 15-minute break and have some fun. Whether you stuck on something, or cannot seem to start on something or bored stiff with routine or need some “me” time, take your deserved 15-minute break and pamper yourself. All it takes 15 minutes so why not give it a shot?