Jolanthe from Homeschool Creations shares how she’s encouraging herself to be more efficient and productive:
Whatever the reason, I’ve pulled something back into play the last two weeks to help give me a boost and put a dent in the seemingly mountain-sized pile of things that need to get done before we start back up to school.
A simple timer.
I pull up the timer on my iPod, set it for 20 minutes and go. For me that can mean limiting myself to 20 minutes of something (maybe a quick reading break of one of my books to read in 2014) or giving myself a set time to accomplish a specific task like the kitchen counters. It definitely isn’t to play Candy Crush (cough).
And truly, you all – 20 minutes can put a HUGE dent in a task that needs to be finished. It seems like a small amount of time, but it can break up something huge and make it more manageable. Maybe it’s tackling a larger project 20 minutes at a time. Or maybe that 20 minutes will be all it takes to get it DONE and off your list (and mind). The short time frame is also great for me to stay focused (I tend to be a bit ADD) – so I am able to focus on one task for a short time, and then switch to a different task when that time is up.
Read the full post and see pictures of her 20 minute accomplishments — very inspiring!
Patti says
My children and I set the timer for 10 minutes to clean one room at a time and then move on to the next. We can get the housed clean in no time. I started this when I was suffering from depression and the overwhelming house duties immobilized me. Thank you the post.
Jennifer says
I use this trick for things I don’t want to do, like washing dishes. It really works!
Usually if I have a sinkful, I set the timer on my range for 10 minutes. It’s amazing how much you can get done in a short amount of time with focus!
Jolanthe says
There are days when it is almost like a competition to me to see how much I can get done! 🙂
Florence says
I find it helpful to break tasks into small sections. For example, I may not have time or energy to clean out the whole refrigerator but I can clean one shelf or drawer each morning during the morning kitchen cleanup. Or, cleaning out the garage is a monumental task but one small section each day is doable.