Minutes Matter — How to maximize your next 10 minutes

A meeting ends early. Someone has “given you back 10 minutes”. How generous. You check your calendar and another meeting looms. Not quite enough time to get heads down on your next big project since your focus will soon be pulled in another direction. So, you kill time. Mindlessly browse the internet. Pace the house. Get lost in the wild world of Slack channels. Nothing very productive… and before you know it, your next meeting is ready to start.

But what if this “gift of time” was better than a stocking stuffed to the brim on Christmas morning? Let’s say this sequence of events occurred 6 more times throughout the week. That’s a whole hour! That’s a lot of minutes stuffed in that stocking.

With a toppling stack of to dos that never seem to get done and overwhelm threatening to peek its head in at any moment, why would you let this gift slip through your fingers?

These awkward gaps of time could actually be put to good use to jump start your progress by taking just little bits of action that compile over time.

The next time you find yourself with some leftover minutes, consider tapping into this goldmine. Take a look ahead at the items you plan to get done later in the day or week. Pick one task and find some pre-work you can spend just a few minutes on: organize your thoughts around the topic and jot them down, gather the documents you’ll want to reference when you’re fully immersed in the project, identify the content you’ll want to reference for research…etc.

You could even extend beyond just your work to-dos by organizing a junk drawer or planning for your next grocery shop.

Completing this pre-work will make it faster and easier to dive right into the flow of completing the bigger projects when that time comes.

Need some inspiration? Here are 20 examples of how you could use your next gifted 10 minutes:

1. Write 10 lines of copy for your book

2. Find a PowerPoint template for you presentation, save it in the right location and give it a title

3. Write 8–12 bullet points of concepts and ideas you want to get across for your next pitch

4. Empty the dishwasher

5. Respond to an email

6. Write the agenda for your team meeting

7. Open 5 envelopes from the pile of snail mail that’s been building up on the counter

8. Read an article about a topic you want to learn more about

9. Complete 1 slide of a presentation deck

10. Break down all the steps required to complete your next big project

11. Document a question you’re asked frequently so you never have to respond from scratch (copy and paste to the rescue!)

12. Fold some laundry

13. Brainstorm ideas for your next blog article

14. Make your grocery list for your Sunday meal prep

15. Schedule an appointment you’ve been avoiding

16. Clear your mind with journaling

17. Unsubscribe from a few email lists

18. Organize your sock drawer (please, for the love, throw out the tattered pairs covered in holes)

19. Delete old photos filling up space on your phone

20. Text your mom and tell her you love her (you’re welcome, mom)

So, if you find yourself with a little gifted time this week, don’t kill it. Spend it well.

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