Did you know that good time management skills are key to living your dream life?
These skills help us track what we do, and the outcome or results achieved. They help us stay true to the things that matter and review our progress on a regular basis.
The best part is there are different time management tools and ideas out there that can improve our productivity and suit our work style and preferences.
Which is why I am super excited to share this new productivity tip to help your mop up those time leaks we all suffer from. Time leaks are those minutes and hours that are often unaccounted for yet deplete our daily productivity output.
Perhaps you can relate to a tendency to overestimate how long certain tasks take and underestimate how long “time leaks” take.
Examples of time leaks are scrolling through social media, mindless web surfing, chatting without purpose, and just generally faffing around.
If you have ever struggled through any of these then you will understand why having an option that can help you optimise your time and productivity is a game-changer.
Keep reading for more.
How can I become more Productive?
There are many ways we can increase our productivity at work, and at home. I have written quite a few posts sharing productivity tips.
One of the first was on the 25 Life Hacks to 10x our Productivity. This was such a thrilling post to write, and it is a post I go back to when I need some ideas to improve my work output.
While these grand-standing productivity hacks are great, they may not always capture the little moments that we miss. We all know how it can feel like we do not have enough time in the day.
You may agree that this is a common excuse though it is merely a symptom of the bigger problem of how we use our time.
In some instances, the real culprit is that we overestimate how much time is required to do certain tasks that will make our lives easier.
The Power of the Three Minute Productivity Rule
Today, I would like to share a simple tip to get more done, aka the three-minute rule.
In the past, I had heard of the 2-minute rule popularised by Graham Stephan and the Five-minute rule.
These two rules are great, but I came by the three-minute rule by accident.
I had found that there were certain tasks I often avoided, actually I ‘actively’ avoided these tasks by justifying that they would require more time than I had, but this was often an excuse that only piled up the work later.
When I started doing these tasks, I found that I usually completed them within three minutes or less.
The quick examples were responding to emails and messages, returning calls, and saying no to requests or activities I wouldn’t be able to take on. Even making my favourite ginger tea (you need to peel, cut up and boil the ginger in hot water).
Soon enough, I started applying this idea to other areas such as:
- Clearing out my desk at the end of the day,
- Filling out my planner for the new week, and
- Saying a quick prayer whenever I remember.
Taking time to do these simple yet quick tasks during those small pockets of time helps to create a seamless day.
Perhaps, for you, it’s picking out your outfit for the next few days, putting items pack in their place, washing plates rather than waiting for things to pile up. If you scanned through your day, you will likely realise that there are several small tasks that can be completed in 3minutes or less.
Other ideas include:
- Making your bed.
- Writing in your gratitude journal
- Starting a laundry cycle
- Writing the first 100 words of your dream book. 😊
Whatever it may be, you could do more by doing them now rather than procrastinating.
Why you should Try the Three-Minute Productivity Rule
The idea behind the Three-Minute Productivity Rule is not about starting yet another fad. I certainly wouldn’t want that for you.
It is about doing those things that take little time but can have such a positive upside.
The rule can be viewed as one of the antidotes to procrastination.
It’s about tackling the small things that we often forget or avoid and finding time in our busy days to work on these things.
I don’t know about you, but I have learned that doing these little things can reduce my stress levels and worry.
Closing thoughts: You Can Change Your Life Today
I believe most of us have a dream to live a meaningful life.
If you asked older people, one thing you may often hear is a wish that ‘they had done more of the things that mattered’.
I certainly want to live a life where I invest in pursuing the things that matter to me and align with my vision for my life.
I hope you do the same too.
Do you have other productive tips that you use?
Please share with us.
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