Using the 10-Minute Rule to Keep Your Life in Order
My father passed away in late January 2022.
It was a tough experience since he was in hospice for the better part of six months in our home. My wife and I were his caretakers as both my parents lived with us.
When late-stage dementia began to take hold of my dad, our job became beyond full-time. He would need help with most everyday activities.
After he passed, we moved my mother into the main house so she would not be alone.
It left the guest house in disarray.
My lovely mother-in-law and wife worked diligently to begin to organize, separate, and dispose of what comes with a family member passing away.
My home office soon became cluttered with things I needed to look at, put away, or throw out. I didn’t want to do it. Not because I was holding on to the past, but because as a self-employed businessperson, you only have so much gas in the tank each day even if you’re a “5am Club” member like me.
You focus on making sure your pipeline of revenue is being pushed along conscientiously and the stuff that doesn’t contribute to that takes a back seat. When the weekends would come, I had other obligations with our kids or general house repairs that left the box and clutter count climbing in my office.
Today, I caught myself doing an A-Ha Take On Me video remake by bumping into boxes, tools, and chairs to get to my work desk. I had to laugh at myself.
“Ok. Time for the 10-minute rule,” I said.
This rule is a productivity strategy to help you get started on something you’ve been putting off as I had.
It reduces the overwhelming sense the limbic system (the part of the brain that manages behavior and emotion) perceives as ‘too much’ and convinces you not to do it.
Ten minutes is short enough to trick your brain to commit to doing it.
It helps you focus on the simplicity of ‘doing’ versus getting to the end and claiming a result.
We all love those dopamine hits which allow us to feel pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation.
If you’re stuck like I was, try the 10-minute rule to get yourself to the next level whether it’s getting organized, losing weight, sending that thank-you card, or finishing the item that has been on your ‘to-do” list since New Year’s Day.
