Time is often not on our side. We live in an age where we are constantly busy and everything and everyone is craving and asking for our attention. It’s easy to see why we feel more stressed, overwhelmed and like we never have time to do the things we actually want to do.
The truth is, we can’t make more time so to speak. Everyone has 24 hours in a day, but we can find ways to make the most of our time and make use of it in the best possible way, even the few minutes here and there.
Throughout the day we actually get many pockets of time that are being underutilised by aimlessly scrolling on social media or waiting around for someone. Those 15 minutes or less are still precious and often give you enough time to do lots of little activities and tasks.
So, instead of wasting them, do something during that time. Use your time wisely and try to complete as many tasks as possible during the few minutes you have available. Because guess what? Even if you can only do one or two tasks during 15 minutes, that’s one or two tasks you don’t have to do later when you actually want to sit down and relax.
One way to have fun with checking off as many tasks as possible in 15 minutes or less is to use the time blocking method. I like to block out 15 minutes during a day every now and then and work on as many tasks as I can.
Timing myself for 15 minutes to get as much done as possible really helps me to tick of many tasks at once, which always makes me feel super productive and like I’ve accomplished a lot in a short period of time.
If you’re not able to put 15 minutes aside purposefully and just have some time here and there between appointments, projects and juggling life in general, that’s fine. There is always something you can do in a few minutes.
Need some inspiration of what tasks actually fit into 15 minutes or less? Then look no further. I have compiled a list of 70 quick and productive things you can do in 15 minutes or even less that will surely give you some ideas of what you can do.
Cleaning
- Hoover the flat
- Clean the fridge
- Dust one room
- Hoover the car
- Clean the oven
- Clean the toilet
- Wipe the hob
- Clean all sinks
- Mop the floor
- Tidy up and clean out your wallet
- Clean out your backpack or purse
- Clean the windows from inside
Organisation
- Write a to-do list for the day
- Declutter and tidy one drawer or shelf in one room
- Write a master to do-list with all the things you have to do
- Write a food shopping list
- Get ready for the next day eg. put your clothes out, jewellery etc
- Prepare your bag for the next day
- Go through your bills and check if they are all good
- File bills away that are lying around
Decluttering
- Go through your phone and delete old messages, photos and videos to clear space
- Delete old files from your computer
- Look through your spice cupboard and fridge and through anything away that’s outdated and gone off
- Delete old apps on your phone that you haven’t been using
Tiding Up
- Collect everything in one room and put it where it belongs
- Tidy up your office desk
- Fill and run the dishwasher
- Empty the dishwasher and put the clean dishes away
- Do the laundry
- Fold the laundry and put it away
- Take the rubbish out
Appointments
- Put in your holiday request at work
- Make that call you’ve been avoiding and postponing
- Book a dentist or GP appointment
- Schedule a get together with friends or family
Self-care
- 2 min breathing exercise
- practice visualisation
- Practice affirmations
- Do some journaling
- Meditate
- Write a gratitude list
- Write a bucket list
- Make the bed
- Listen to a short podcast episode
- Read a few pages in a book or magazine
- Put on a face mask
Personal Hygiene
- Take a quick shower
- Cut your nails
- Clean your face and put moisturiser on
- Go through your makeup bag and throw anything out that’s clumped up, dried out or is out of date.
- Change towels in all rooms
- Change the bedsheets
Movement
- Do some stretching
- Dance and move a little to raise your vibrations
- Take the dog for a walk
- Go for a walk around your block
- Practice some yoga poses such as sun salutations
Other
- Respond to WhatsApp messages
- Respond to emails
- Call a friend or family member
- Order groceries online
- Prepare lunch for the next day eg. make a salad, sandwich etc
- Write some Christmas, Easter or Birthday cards
- Cut the grass in your garden
- Take pictures of your camera or phone
- Water the plants
- Go on social media with intention
- Do a brainstorming session
- Do a braindump
- Replace old sponges and washing up cloths
And there you have it. 70 quick and productive things you can do in 15 minutes or less!
If you found this post on The Best Tip To Manage Your Time Effectively helpful, you might enjoy reading my post A Simple Time Management Technique – The Pomodoro Method.
And lastly, don’t forget to sign up to my 30 Day Productivity Challenge inside the Freebie Library!
Get the challenge with easy to follow and implement prompts so you can take daily action – one prompt for every day of the month that will boost your productivity without you feeling like it’s too much or overwhelming.
