Dreaded word: Procrastination
David Kadavy, author of Design for Hackers, writes about the 'ten minute' hack he uses to get started in the morning. We can all do something for ten minutes.
The hardest part of doing most things is just starting. We often think about how big of a project we have ahead of ourselves, and that’s what makes it hard to start. I know when I was writing my book, it seemed like most of my day was spent fighting the agony of just getting started. It was hard to ignore just how big of a project it was.
Thankfully, I’ve found a great hack for getting started. It’s called The 10-Minute Hack.
Each day, after I wake up, as soon as is possible – before eating, before showering, before checking email, (but not before meditating) – I pick one task, set my iPhone timer for 10 minutes, and work on that one thing non-stop.
How much work can you possibly get done within 10 minutes? A surprising amount, really, but that’s not the point.
The point is, you get started.
{Sometimes, the 10 minutes seems like an eternity. I’m just waiting for it to end so I can eat something or go to the gym.)
But often – actually, usually – I don’t stop after 10 minutes. 10 minutes turns into 45 minutes, an hour – two hours – of non-stop work on one project.*]
*Mixed philosophies about this comment that ten minutes can easily seep into two hours without even realizing it, as one is so engaged in the doing. Opinions weigh in that you should not go over the preallocated time, that is part of the discipline.
I'm starting with ten minutes of stretching immediately following my one glass of water upon rising. A few simply Yoga stretches can't be hard. What works for you?
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