I was inspired by an article written by Courtney Carver called 25 Ways to Simplify your Life in 10 Minutes or Less.
Her premise is that you can “Be more with less” and says that “simplicity is a practice and not a destination, there are practical things you can do every day to simplify your life … and things you can do quickly.”
If, like me, you run your own business and need time to work on, as well as in it, but are so busy that you find yourself juggling numerous tasks and activities while your desk is covered with folders, your inbox has several hundred emails that need sorting out and you’re “to do” list is everlasting – then maybe a little simplification would help you too?
Carver’s advice is that you set a timer for 10 minutes and choose a task to do then stop after the 10 minutes. She also helpfully provides a list of 25 things that you can do.
Based on this same principle I have also identified 25 things that I can do in 10 minutes that will help me to simplify my business and maybe they can help you too:
- Go through your LinkedIn Groups and unsubscribe from the ones that you haven not participated in for 6 months or more
- Create a outline plan for the book that you’re planning to write (try mind-mapping it)
- Find an app to download that will help you to improve your productivity
- Decide what to delegate, to who and how you are going to do it
- Review your website and social media analytics – what does it tell you?
- Write your next blog/article
- Unsubscribe from email notifications that you don’t read (o.k. I pinched this one from Carver, but it’s a really good one)
- Read!
- Bin (recycle of course) the magazines that have been in your briefcase for months
- Phone a colleague or client rather than send them an email
- Sign up for a useful and interesting webinar or networking event
- Review your business plan priorities – are you on track?
- Do some creative thinking /ideas generation
- Participate in a ten minute peer coaching session – you’ll be amazed what you can achieve in 10 minutes
- Turn off your phone and computer (o.k. I pinched this one from Carver, but it’s a really good one)
- Make a list of 10 potential clients to contact and follow them up within a week
- Practice mindfulness
- Ask for constructive feedback about your leadership style and approach
- Create a “must do” list of no more than 6 items for the day and do them!
- 0k. I could only come up with 20 and maybe they aren’t all about simplifying, but it got you thinking didn’t it?
Maybe you could add to the list for yourself and also share your suggestions?