4 Steps to the Most Productive 15 Minutes of Your Day It is amazing how busy one can feel without being actually productive. It all depends on one word: intentionality.
By Jeff Shore Edited by Dan Bova
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Ever have one of those days where you feel like you are trying to run on ice? You scramble and rush while feeling pressed for time and yet, you get nowhere fast.
I always feel shocked when I look at the clock after sitting at my desk for four hours and realize that I have not accomplished anything that really matters. It is amazing how busy one can feel without being actually productive.
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What if I told you that you could accomplish more in 15 minutes than you often accomplish in an entire afternoon? It is the truth and it is possible. Productivity depends on one word: intentionality.
You can create productive time for yourself today. You can create a plan for it right this moment. Here's how create the most productive 15 minutes in your day:
1. Block out a 15-minute chunk of time.
It doesn't matter when or where -- you just need 15 minutes of completely uninterrupted time.
2. Determine the most powerful possible use of those 15 minutes.
No shuffling papers or pounding out emails. Go for quality. Follow the Stephen Covey model and choose "Quadrant II" activities (important but not urgent). Find something that will make a real impact but where no has a gun to your head to get it done.
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I had my mastermind group complete this exercise recently and they came up with a variety of effective activities:
- One manager used the time to compose hand-written notes of appreciation.
- Another used the time to research a prospective client he would be meeting with later in the day.
- A third used those 15 minutes to plan out a killer date night for her and her husband.
3. Make that productive time holy.
This means no phone, no email, no Facebook, no distractions of any kind. You might want to leave your office (without your phone!) for this exercise. Otherwise, let others know that you are in a "do not disturb" zone: post a sign on your door that reads: "I cannot be disturbed. If you knock on this door, your hair better be on fire."
4. Put your head down and power through.
No daydreams and no rabbit trails. This is all about being productive. Work as furiously as you can on the task at hand. Focus with everything you've got.
You will find that these 15-minute blocks of time are incredibly powerful and exceedingly productive. In fact, you will feel amazed at how much you get accomplished.
Set aside 15 minutes to achieve massively productivity every day. The habit of intentionality can change your world.
Related: How to Stop Wasting Time at Work
