Dec 11, 2021
The 15 Minute Rule — increase productivity and get sh^t done.
Here’s the thing: I’ve always had trouble focusing. In school, in sport, in life.
It’s popular these days to allot some overarching pathology to this issue. Terms like ADHD are thrown around as freely as beer at a football game.
Regardless of the label, for me, it comes down to being able to concentrate on a specific task, and bring it to completion.
Recently I’ve had a breakthrough in this domain, which has had a transformative effect. I call it THE 15 MINUTE RULE.
It goes like this. Let’s say I have a task before me that is causing some or a considerable amount of resistance.
Yesterday it was editing a video; today it’s writing this article. To override the mind’s often counter-productive mechanics, I set a timer for fifteen minutes, meanwhile making sure I’m not interrupted during that time.
Once the timer starts, I get to work, knowing I only have to focus diligently for FIFTEEN MINUTES until the buzzer sounds.
You see, my mind can handle the idea of a short span of time, rather than a longer unknown. In other words, I get the resistant part of the mind to BECOME MY ALLY, and not my foe.
Once my allotted time comes to an end, I reassess. Do I need another fifteen minute time block? If so, I hit the timer again.
With this method I’ve been able to TRIPLE or QUADRUPLE my productivity.
For example, I used to write at about 350–500 words an hour. Now, with my timer by my side, I average 200–300 words every fifteen minutes.
It’s has been a revelation.
I’ve learned that the mind can get overwhelmed with unknowns. As a result big goals need to be broken down into small manageable, accomplishable tasks.
THE 15 MINUTE RULE is a way to do just that, particularly for those of us who have many ideas, but have trouble focusing on a particular task until completion (instead of ADHD how about we call it BIG: Beautiful Ideas Genius).
Try it and let me know how it works for you.
Here’s to your success!
(word count: 349 — time to write and edit: 33 minutes)
