Every day we all have moments, where we have nothing to do for 5 or 10 minutes. For example, if you are waiting for a meeting to start, waiting for a bus or if a person tells you that he/she will call you back in 5 minutes. Making use of these moments makes a big difference at the end of the day.
Most people cannot use those small gaps in their schedule productively. They do nothing on those moments. But if you add up all these breaks then there may be one or two hours of them during the whole day.
There exist many possibilities for making use of those moments. See the following tips and find out how you can apply them.
o Check your schedule. If you want to manage your time efficiently then you have to schedule it and be sure that you can follow your schedule. You have to check regularly if you have managed to complete all your tasks. Have you missed something? Are there going to be some changes in your plans? Use small breaks to keep an eye on your progress.
o Read. Reading professional books or journals is a great way of educating yourself. Although most of us are aware of this we often do not find time for it. Make use of the gaps in your schedule and educate yourself. If you carry a book with you and read it when possible, then you will complete it in one week. It means that you can read 52 additional books per year, which gives you a great competitive advantage over your colleagues.
o Deal with your e-mail. Reading and replying to your messages can be very time consuming. If you have nothing to do then you can use that time for dealing with your incoming mail. It is important that you just don't read your mail, but also processes it, i.e. reply it or schedule following actions depending on the message. Follow the rule, that you handle every message only once.
o Clean your desk. Having your desk clean and neatly organized increases your productivity. You will find all your papers fast and it gives you an emotional boost. Check, if all things are in their correct places. Put papers into their folders and throw away papers you do not need.
o Make a call. You can make quick phone calls during 5 minute gaps. Those moments are ideal for making social calls, to friends or relatives you have not met for a long time.
o Move yourself. The problem for the majority of the office workers is that we move us too little. Get up from your chair. Stretch yourself. Do some simple physical exercises.
Those are just some example how you can you 5 minute gaps productively. There are many more options. Think about them and be creative. I am pretty sure that you can find many ways for using your time more efficiently.
Kristjan-Olari Leping is a speed reading and time management trainer and associate professor of economics at the University of Tartu, Estonia. I will share my experiences with you and will teach you how to manage your time better. Visit my website and improve your time management.
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