15 things to improve your productivity in 15 minutes
As a busy mother of two and a small business owner, I feel sometimes like every waking moment is scheduled at least two weeks in advance. I set aside time to spend time with my family and friends, work out, write and see clients, but the rest of my time only appears in my calendar in random 15-minute bursts. Recently, a member of one of my Solopreneur Mastermind Groups – an acupuncturist with two young children who runs an acupuncture practice out of her home – shared with me her frustration that she had lots of things on her to-do list that didn’t get done but often had these same 15-minute windows of time. I told her that she likely deserved to take those breaks in the day but that if it bothered her she could jot down all of the things she could get done in 15 minutes. I took my own advice recently and texted a similar list into my phone.
Below is my own list. If you have a similar scheduling conundrum, make your own. If you think it would be useful to other solopreneurs, I’ll post it on my blog, complete with a link to your website.
1. Reach out for a coffee date with someone whose business card you’ve collected recently.
2. Check links on your website and fix them if they don’t (or send your web developer an email about them).
3. Write a recommendation for someone you know on LinkedIn or Google. (In most cases, they’ll reciprocate and write one for you, too.)
4. Outline a blog post. (I’m outlining this post while I walk on Mt. Tabor.)
5. Make a weekend plan – buy tickets to a play or movie or reserve a cabin in the mountains or by the beach.
6. Buy a book online. I like the $100 Startup by Chris Gillebeau, the Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman, and the Right-Brain Business Plan by Jenny Lee.
7. Take a walk around the block. If you walk briskly, in 15 minutes you can walk one mile.
8. Make a to-do list.
9. Buy tickets to a networking lunch.
10. Google your competition. Ask yourself, how am I different? How am I similar? What might I learn from them?
11. Write a thank-you card. This will make you feel as good as does them.
12.Start a mood board on Pinterest. Just collect pictures of things that make you think about what you’d like your business to be. Or pin your ideal work space.
13. Sign up for a course on Lynda.com or Udemy. Learn more about SEO or how to master Photoshop.
14. Write a survey for your clients. Check in with how they think you’re doing and how you can improve.
15. Donate to a worthy cause.
Now make your own list and email it to kristin {at} aportlandcareer.com and, with your permission, I’ll post it on my blog and include a link to your website. C’mon…it only takes 15 minutes.