Get Things Done Faster With A Timer!
Timers are a great tool that you might be underutilizing! I imagine all of us have a timer on our phone, watch, or even microwave. It’s a free tool and I feel like it helps me get things done much faster! I want to share with you my top 4 favorite ways to use timers.
Tedious work projects
Do you ever know you need to do something but don’t really want to get started on it? Many times I tell myself that I will work 20 minutes today on a project and be done. I set the time for 20 minutes and am usually surprised when it goes off. If I’m in a groove and want to continue on, I will. But sometimes I stop and just plan to work 20 more minutes again the next day. I recently finished a huge work project in less than 30 minutes a day.
This is also a great tool for those tedious projects that just seem to be the same thing over and over. I know I can accomplish a lot in 15 to 30 minutes. I will choose a time and set the timer and get to work. This allows me to not feel like I must complete it all today, but I can still check “20 minutes on XYZ” off my list.Cleaning
If you have a looming cleaning task in front of you but are limited on time, set a timer! Once the timer goes off you will be surprised at how much you accomplished. I have also used a stopwatch for cleaning. I am always surprised at how quickly I can clean some things. It may seem silly, but a race against myself helps me to get things done quickly!Kids
There are so many ways we can use timers with our kids. We use the Pomodoro Technique with my son and school. When he is working on something he doesn’t enjoy, or if he’s in a season where concentrating seems to be harder we will use this technique. You set a timer for 20 or 30 minutes and they get to work. Once the timer goes off you set another timer for 5 to 10 minutes and they can do whatever they want during that time. Then it starts over. This is a great reward system and it really works!
I also use timers to make chores fun for my kids. I will set a timer when I’m cleaning my daughter’s room with her and we will race against the clock.Reading/hobby/relaxing
As a busy wife and mom I can put quiet time for myself at the bottom of my list. I have been trying to be better about this. One way I enjoy spending time is reading. This forces me to sit still (doing something other than working on my laptop.) I will choose a time in the middle of the day and set a timer for 20 minutes and read. Even if I’m reading a non-fiction book that is helping me learn something new, it’s a form of relaxation for me. A timer in this category has been extremely helpful!
What ways have you found this free tool to work for you?