In a recent conversation with a friend about our struggles making progress on our goals, she posed the idea of allocating ten minutes per day to work on our most important projects.
As many theories on productivity that exist out there, this is one that had stuck with her and has since, stuck with me as I continue to strive to improve my daily workflow and take more meaningful steps towards accomplishing the things I have set my mind on.
It is said that behind every procrastination is ‘fear’, whether that be of failure or the likely problems that could potentially arise following success. When it comes to procrastinating on big projects, I’ve learned first hand that the fear lies in ‘overwhelm’, where the scope of the undertaking is too big to make sense of in one sitting, let alone take action on when considering the project as a whole.
It’s common wisdom in the business world that every large project be broken down into relevant stages, phases and actionable steps; so perhaps it’s just as wise to apply this across all areas of our lives as well.
Whether we want to get fit, travel, create a family, build a business or learn a new skill, breaking down any goal into bite-sized chunks enhances its feasibility and almost ensures its achievability if we remain consistent and persistent along the way.
Of course, learning to ‘break down’ goals effectively is an art itself. We could wax lyrical on how to set the right objectives, outline project scope and plan desired outcomes, but we can start more simply by dedicating just ten minutes a day.
Life can indeed be incredibly hectic and stressful, but for the important things, surely we can spare ten minutes?
My friend and I agreed to give it a go for one important project that we were each working on. We didn’t specify any tasks or hold ourselves to any deadlines, the only requirement being to devote 10 focused, uninterrupted minutes towards working on said project.
The ‘work’ defined as any meaningful task that would contribute to the overall goal, no matter how big or small that task might seem. It could be 10 minutes of brainstorming, researching, writing or even merely thinking about the project.
My own experience putting this theory into practice taught me the value of 10 minutes; how this seemingly fleeting period of time should never be underestimated.
Certainly, when engaged in something mundane, tedious or unenjoyable (eg. waiting in line or running on a treadmill), 10 minutes can seem like a lifetime, but when applied to something that aligns with your life dreams or career goals; these 10 minutes can be powerful enough to open up new inspiration and motivation towards accomplishing whatever it is you desire.
There were 3 key things I discovered in the act of allocating ten minutes a day on one of my creative projects for a single week:
- I felt less overwhelmed or pressured to make progress
- I was energised to work beyond the ten minutes
- A lot can be done in a relatively short timeframe
Like any habit, it takes consistent effort to implement this concept into your routine, but I am finding the 10 Minutes theory a very viable one for improving productivity and minimising overwhelm when it comes to big goals.
There is relief in accepting that progress takes time, patience and consistent action, rather than believing that big steps lead to big wins.
We don’t always need to allocate a full day or an hour to work on something outside of our immediate priorities; just ten minutes a day is enough to kickstart and build momentum on a goal that is resting on your bucket list.
How will you use your ten minutes today?
