It took me a long time to realize that if I stopped whining about not having enough time I could instead concentrate on the time I did have.This week, I'd like to give you examples of what you can do in Five Minutes. Everybody has five minutes here and there, right?
At home:
• Dust one room.
• Sort one load of laundry and throw it in the washer.
• Clear off the counter tops in your kitchen.
• Load the dishwasher.
• Make one bed.
• Clean the mirrors in one bathroom.
At work:
• Take the stairs and get some exercise.
• Stretch at your desk.
• Eat an apple
• Clear out your email (on your private pc or smartphone I hope).
• Jot down a to-do list for when you walk out of the office.
• Clean your desk.
With kids:
• Check their homework.
• Braid your little girl's hair.
• Lay out their clothes for the next day.
• Give them a hug. (Good for all ages.)
• Write an "I love you" note to hide in their lunch bag the next day.
• Inspect nails and teeth before saying goodnight.
For YOU:
• Give yourself a mini-facial and clean your face with a good herbal scrub.
• Moisturize your hands and elbows.
• Write a short note to your best friend and ask how they are.
• Read a magazine article.
• Sit back and enjoy a hot cup of coffee or tea.
• Listen to your favorite song.
• Pet your dog or cat.
What else can you do in five minutes or less?
10 comments:
Shelley Munro said...
This is a good reminder to get stuck in instead of procrastinating or complaining about too much to do. It takes me less than five minutes to get sucked down the black hole of the Internet.
Maria Zannini said...
Shelley: The internet is evil. This is why I try not to get on if all I have is five minutes. Somehow it makes five minutes turn into thirty in a blink of an eye.
Dru said...
You can take a walk around your block (here I'm talking city block).
You can drink a glass of water (better than a soda).
You can take a 5-minute nap (amazing how that will rejuvenate you).
Maria Zannini said...
Dru: Walking the block--good one!
I don't think I can take 5-minute naps--unless someone wakes me. :)
LD Masterson said...
Read a chapter in whatever you're reading - providing you have the willpower to stop when time's up.
Pull a few weeds in the garden.
Fill the birdfeeders.
But I was caught by your suggestion, "clean your desk". In five minutes? You obviously have never seen my desk. Come to think of it, I haven't seen it for quite a while either, but I'm pretty sure it's still under there. Somewhere.
Maria Zannini said...
Linda: There is no such thing as a few weeds--at least not here. And I can never stop at one chapter. But bird feeders, yes! Excellent idea.
Ref: desk
So what you're saying is that you prefer the shop vac to clean your desk?
Angela Brown said...
I love the examples you provided, especially the inclusion of meaningful things like writing a note to say I love you to the kiddo and dropping it in their lunch box.
Maria Zannini said...
Angela: So often it's the simple things that take just a minute, yet pack so much love.
Angelina Rain said...
Great advice! I'm one of those people who whines about never having enough time, but I also waste a lot of those 5 minutes.
Maria Zannini said...
Angelina: I'm the kind of person who likes to devote big blocks of time to chores. If I clean house, I clean house. If I write, I write. But life rarely gives me big blocks of time anymore so I try to fit in little jobs in the time I have.