I relish feeling productive and knowing that I’ve made the most of my day. Nothing bothers me more than when the day has come to an end and nothing on my to-do list is crossed off. Of course there’s always balance between a to-do list that’s 20 items long vs. a to-do list that’s actually accomplishable in a day (especially a day that involves the cutest little baby). I’ve made some adjustments to what my list looks like and how I plan out my tasks. Since doing so, I’ve discovered how to be effective and productive in five minutes or sometimes less. These are things that make a difference and allow me to cross something off my to-do list, leaving me with that oh-so-amazing productive feeling.
Here are five things you can do in five minutes while you’re at home.
- Laundry. Let it be known that I do not like doing house chores, but I do like the feeling I have when house chores are done. A conundrum, I know. This means that I often over-dramatize how long they’ll take which prevents me from getting them done and often leaves me without clean underwear or wearing the jeans I hate. Not any more! Since buckling down on my day, laundry is a task that I can get done (throughout the day) in five minutes or less. In my first five minutes, gather all the laundry and sort. In my next five minutes, throw in one load. In the five minutes after that, switch from washer to dryer; hang up the clothes that must air dry; add the next load. You get the idea… essentially going through the paces of laundry five minutes at a time. It makes me dislike the task less and it is done by the end of the day. Win, win.
- Move your body. Since Hudson was born, I find that I’m often sitting. I’m sitting while feeding him, playing with him, etc. So, sometimes, when I have five minutes free I make it a point to move my body. Sometimes that’s just stretching (because holding a baby makes your muscles cramp up!). Other times it’s a series of Chaturangas to get my blood flowing. You pick what it looks like, but move!
- Empty the dishwasher. My husband recently told me that running the dishwasher every night, no matter how full, is actually more efficient than hand-washing dishes periodically and running the dishwasher every couple of days. I bought into this hook, line, and sinker… no clue if that’s actually true. This means that the dishwasher must be emptied daily and guess what, it’s completely accomplishable in five minutes or less and is yet another thing that’s helpful to both of us.
- Recognize gratitude. I keep a daily journal and one of the things I write in my journal are my gratitudes. Five things I’m grateful for. I learned about and took on this practice after reading and hearing about it from folks far more accomplished than me. These things aren’t necessarily ground breaking. Most days, coffee is on my list along with other things like my health and sunshine. Of course, there are always a couple of things that are much bigger and more impactful, but the point remains that recognizing gratitudes doesn’t need to be mind blowing, just there. This practice fills my heart and reminds me of all the good that’s going on in my life.
- Reach out to someone. Do you ever randomly have someone pop into your mind? You wonder how they’re doing or maybe it’s because you haven’t spoken to them in days / weeks / months. Take your free five minutes to send a text, write a thoughtful email, or even pick up the phone and say “hi.” Since I’ve been intentional about this I’ve noticed how much it has impacted me personally and how meaningful it is to my friends and family that I’ve contacted. Give it a shot… I think you’ll feel the payoff tenfold.
