10 Minute Tasks

Problem Statement

There are many lulls in a day when you have a few minutes to spare, these are often lost because you don’t know what to do with them.

Intent

Reclaim lost moments by doing something useful in the time you have available. Prepare for these waiting times by having a list of tasks that can be done in a very short amount of time. Avoid doing nothing, or worse, getting lost in things that add no value to your life.

Solution

Be aware of the time you have available but generally don’t use. When you think about it, you will find that there are many moment in a day where you are doing nothing at all, or are waiting for something to happen. Examples include:

• waiting for a bus
• waiting for a meeting to start
• waiting for a friend to arrive
• waiting for the microwave to finish
• waiting for you family to get ready
• loitering in a queue

Prepare a list of things you can do in a short amount of time (10 minutes or less), and keep it handy. Usually, you can make some progress on a task, even within the timespan of a couple of minutes. This can be as simple as tidying your desk, cleaning a cup, or writing a few lines on a notepad.

The key is to make sure that you are doing something useful with the time you would otherwise waste. All these small tasks add up over time, and allow you to make progress on things that you would otherwise never get around to. Think of it this way: if you spend a few minutes a day on tidying your closet, you will have a clean closet in a few weeks. If you try and do it all at once, you will likely need to dedicate a whole day to it.

Contextual forces

These describe factors at play that influence the outcome of the practice. They are not necessarily good or bad, but they are important to be aware of.

Enablers

The following factors support effective application of the practice:

• Preparation: Having a list of tasks ready to go, and having tools nearby to enable you to start a task with low friction.
• Prioritization: Knowing which tasks are most important, and which can be done in a short amount of time.
• Awareness: Being aware of the time you have available. Knowing how long a task will take.
• Elephant Carpaccio: Having tasks that can be broken down into smaller parts, so you can make some progress in the time you have available.

Deterrents

The following factors prevent effective application of the practice:

• Distractions: Being distracted by other things that are happening around you, or getting sucked into useless rabbit holes.
• Lack of preparation: Not having a list of tasks ready to go, or not having the tools you need to start a task.
• Overwhelm: Having too many tasks to choose from, or not knowing what to do next.
• Perfectionism: Not starting a task because you don’t have enough time to do it perfectly, or finish it completely.

Rationale

• Avoiding procrastination: By doing something useful in the time you have available, you avoid procrastinating on tasks that you know you should be doing. This can help you avoid feeling guilty about not doing something, and can help you feel more in control of your life. Nowadays, every moment of the day is filled with distractions. Most lulls are filled with checking your phone, or scrolling through social media. This usually doesn’t add any value to your life, and can often make you feel more stressed out.
• Making progress: By doing small tasks in the time you have available, you make progress on things that you would otherwise never get around to.
• Avoiding overwhelm: By breaking tasks down into smaller parts, you avoid feeling overwhelmed by the size of the task. This makes it easier to get started, or in some cases: to find to courage to do something about a long-lingering frustration.
• Building habits: By making a habit of doing small tasks in the time you have available, you build a habit of being productive. This can help you be more productive in general.

Application

Considerations

• Perfectionism: People can avoid starting a task because they don’t have enough time to do it perfectly, or finish it completely.
• Self-induced stress: People applying this technique can feel driven to always be productive, and can feel guilty when they are not.
• Real Work Avoidance: People can use this technique to avoid doing more important tasks, or to avoid dealing with difficult emotions.

Mitigation strategies

• Don’t overdo it: It’s important to strike a balance between being productive and taking care of yourself. Don’t feel like you have to be productive all the time. It’s okay to take a break and do nothing for a while, as long as you are intentional about it.
• Be kind to yourself: It’s important to be kind to yourself when you are doing small tasks in the time you have available. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get everything done. It’s okay to not be perfect, and it’s okay to take a break if you need one.
• Retain focus: It’s important to stay focused on the task at hand when you are doing small tasks in the time you have available. Try to avoid getting distracted by other things that are happening around you, and try to avoid getting sucked into useless rabbit holes.
• Training: Gain knowledge on time management and task prioritization to maximize the benefits of this practice.

Examples

List of 10-minute tasks

To help you get started on your own list, here are some tasks that can generally be done in 10 minutes or less:

• paying a bill
• cleaning your desk
• deleting old emails
• taking out the trash
• washing a few dishes
• sending out an invoice
• reading a page of a book
• going through your calendar
• responding to a single email
• discarding a bunch of old papers
• writing a few lines on a notepad
• moving stuff up or down the stairs
• filling out a time-registration form
• folding a couple of pieces of laundry
• throwing away old food from the fridge
• putting dirty clothes in the laundry basket