Are you feeling overwhelmed with all that has to be done in one day? Have you wondered just how some people seem to be able to do it all and not be stressed? There is not enough minutes in the day.
How do they do it and where do they have the time to get it all done?
Stop! Take a deep breath in, hold it and breathe out slowly. You can do more than you realise in one minute.
Who has hours in their day to do it all? You can achieve so much in just 60 seconds. Just think about the time when someone said they were going to call in to your home and you panicked. How much tidying did you do in those few minutes? Was it perfect? Definitely not but you managed to do a lot in that short time frame.
Ok, you’re thinking I can’t get much done in such a short time frame, well why not try it out.
If you don’t believe me then set a timer on your phone and find out.
There is so much to remember and putting tasks off seems counterintuitive. If something can be done in a minute or less then why not do it now.
Sixty seconds is easy to find and the positive impact it can have on your mood is huge.
It may not always be possible, e.g. waiting for the traffic lights to turn green is not the place to start collecting the rubbish in your car. You do need to concentrate on driving and observing the road around you. There are so many moments in your day when you can complete the tasks that you have been putting off.
So here is a list of things you could do in one minute or less. I am sure you can find so many more yourself.
Bedroom
- Make your bed or air it out whichever way you do it.
- Fluff up your pillows.
- Return any glass or bottle from the bedside table to the kitchen.
- Tidy your bedside table.
Bathroom
- Wipe your bathroom mirror.
- Wipe down your sink after brushing your teeth.
- Change the towels.
- Wipe the toilet seat and tank.
- Scrub the toilet bowl.
- Restock your toilet paper. Nothing worse than needing some and not having any there where you need it.
Kitchen
- Wash the cup, bowl or plate instead of just putting it in the sink.
- Wipe down the front of your fridge or oven.
- Check the fridge for produce or food that needs to be used today. Make a meal plan for the day. Note if you need to buy anything for the meal plan.
- Wipe down the countertops.
- Clean to coffee pot or toss the filter paper and grounds. Have it ready for the next use.
- Wipe down the kitchen table.
- Wipe down the front of the kitchen cupboards.
- Toss out the junk mail.
- Microwave your wet kitchen sponge to sanitise it.
- Clean and rinse the kitchen sink.
- Wipe the front and top of your washer and dryer.
- Change the kitchen towels.
- Load the dishwasher.
- Sweep the kitchen.
- Wipe down a shelf in the fridge.
- Move the clothes from washer to dryer.
Home
- Put away any clean clothes.
- Bring any clothes to be ironed to the ironing station.
- Put the shoes away.
- See some cobwebs that you missed with the vacuum cleaner now you can rid of them.
- Collect all your paper mail in one pile and your magazines and books in another. Not enough time to sort through right now but they are all in one place.
- Sweep the entryway or mudroom.
- Hang up coats in the closet and check the pockets for rubbish or keys.
- Go through your messages on your phone. Is there one you need and should have replied to then just do it quickly now.
- Clean out your purse.
- Wipe down the light switches.
- Water a plant or two.
- Dust a shelf or light shade.
- Dust photo or picture frames in one room of hallway.
- Walk into the living room and fold the blankets.
- Fluff the pillows and straighten them.
- Collect any rubbish, cups or bowls and bring them to the kitchen.
- Put away something in the other room.
- Collect clothes left lying on the floor or a chair that need to be washed and dump them in the laundry basket.
- Bring the laundry basket to the wash machine and put on a load of laundry.
- Shake out the bathroom and door mats.
Work / Office
- Is there an email that you should’ve replied to but you have been avoiding then just do it now in the 60 seconds. Focus on the one urgent one.
- Refill your soap dispensers.
- Back up the files on your computer.
- Upload the photos from your phone to your computer.
- Too many browser tabs, then delete some. If you have not read the article by now then it is no longer relevant. If you are not sure or afraid to delete then write the website down in the list you made in your planner and see if you ever to read it.
- If you are working at a computer and staring at the screen for a long time then stop and look away. Focus on something in the distance and give your eyes a break.
- Dust your computer monitor and keyboard.
- Toss and pens that no longer work.
- Empty the paper recycling bin.
- Dust and wipe your desk.
- Collect paperwork in to neat piles ready to sort later.
Car
- Have the new insurance disk you need to have in the car then bring it out and just do it now. No more thinking, have I done it?
- Before you leave your car collect all the rubbish, paper and bags from your car and dump the rubbish.
- Organise the boot and remove any rubbish.
Pets
- Wash your pet’s food and water bowls.
- Clean their food mat.
- Scoop out kitty litter.
- Take your dog on a long walk.
Admin Tasks
- Unplug devices that are not being used. Devices all charged or have enough power then remove the charger and coil it up. Leave it in the drawer or wherever you store the chargers.
- Check the tasks for the week and see if there is something that can be done now or allocate time to it.
- Write down any tasks or errands you need to do this week in your planner.
- Look at your birthday and dates to remember calendar to see if there is something soon that slipped your mind.
- Write the check or pay the bill.
- Collect mail that needs to be posted.
- Fill in the form or sign the form that you have been putting off.
- Sitting at a computer for work then stopping and taking that minute to just stretch your body is perfect. e.g. tilt your head from side to side and stretch your neck.
Me Time
- Take a deep breath in, hold it and slowly breathe out again. You even have time to do this again.
- Stand up and walk around a bit to stretch your legs.
- Just take that time to focus on yourself and think about all that you have done in your day.
- Drink some water. Rehydrate yourself.
- Take a piece of paper and write down things your want to do when you have some free time.
- Make a list of a few things you are grateful for. Focus on the positive and good things in your life.
The list could go on and on
These are just some at the top of my head. Every one leads different lives and has different responsibilities or situations. If you have pets then there are other kinds of tasks.
If there are more people in your home there will be more work to be done and the one minute tasks must be done a few times a day. Some of these are so simple and children can be included in the tasks. They can feel part of the family and help out.
Challenge yourself
If you try some of these and see how much can be done in the one minute you may surprise yourself how much of a confidence boost this gives you. Positive endorphins at work when you need them most.
Challenge yourself to find more one minute tasks that you can do during your day and notice that smile appearing on your face as you realise how much you have achieved without too much effort.
If you think about the task and it can be done in a minute and you can do it right now then just do it!
Does it always work? Well we are all human and sometimes the dreaded procrastination creeps back in again. The good news is we can try again.
