A 10-Minute Revolution: 7 Things You Can Accomplish in 10-minutes
Infatuation with dramatic change is the reason you’re stuck. Transformation happens in 10-minute increments.
Momentum is a series of small successes.
A 10-minute revolution:
#1. Expand your mind by reading 12 books a year.
Commit to read 10 pages a day. This adds up to 3,650 pages a year – about 12 books. Keep your pen handy.
Make an appointment with a book.
#2. Prolong your life with exercise.
Movement is medicine.
Perform body-weight exercises. Rotate between pushups, squats, and jumping jacks for 10 minutes. Or go for a brisk walk.
Keep sneakers by your desk.
#3. Focus your attention with quiet time.
Stillness enables focus. An unfocused leader distracts teams.
Distraction slows progress.
Go for a slow walk without your cell phone.
#4. Energize others with thank you notes.
You get what you honor.
Noticing gives meaning. Busy leaders forget to acknowledge wins because they rush to the next challenge.
Make a list of people who you appreciate. Call one of them today.
The real leaders in organizations exude positivity.
Gratitude is free.
#5. Propel yourself forward with structured self-reflection.
Lack of reflection prolongs stupidity. “We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” Attribution uncertain
Develop three questions you will ask yourself at the end of the day.
Read: The Vagrant: The Inner Journey of Leadership, for structured self-reflection exercises.
#6. Clear your mind by decluttering your work area.
Spend 10-minutes policing your area. Set a timer for 10-minutes and get busy.
#7. Choose your big rock.
Stress consumes distracted people. Everything isn’t important. Choose one big rock you will accomplish this week. Write it on a sticky note and put it on your monitor. Schedule times to work on it.
Focus ensures progress.
Which of these actions call to you?
What could you add to this 10-minute revolution post?
Dig deeper:
Put in the Big Rocks: How to Do Things that Matter Most Before it’s too Late
4 Surprising Times to Express Gratitude
LOVE LOVE LOVE this! Printing to keep it visible and remind myself to make these 10 minute actions a daily habit. A weekly big rock – love it! Thanks, Dan!
Thank you, Jennifer. Your comment energizes me. Best wishes.
Dan, I love this so much. Tangible things that have an immediate impact. 2 things:
1. I subscribe to the mindset consisting of small consistency > sporadic grandness. 15 minutes translates to roughly 1% of one’s day. When broken down in such a way as your expressed, it makes consistency attainable.
2. From a text-only person, I surprisingly resonate with calling people I am grateful for. I’m sure this will catch people off guard; however, I have a premonition it will be more impactful.
I am thankful for your consistency and leadership, Dan!
Powerful comment, Josh. I hadn’t considered the 1% idea. There’s something refreshing and encouraging about doing something in a small increment of time.
Thank you for your kind words. Encouragement helps everyone be better.
These are very doable. Thank you. I want to try reading 10 pages a day.
Thanks, Nichole. Doable is good. 🙂 No need getting hung up on things that aren’t doable. 😉
Excellent list Dan. Thank you, as always, for sharing your wisdom. You forgot #11 – read Leadership Freak every day it is published. It is well worth the 5 minutes of investing in yourself!!!
That’s a great suggestion! 😉 Thanks Cheryl
Great post. Breaking the mountain of responsibility into smaller molehills makes the objective feasible and within the scope of possibility and ultimately success. Your knack for affirmation also helps to encourage readers beyond their comfortable routine.
I absolutely love your posts. I worked as a Leadership/Organizational Communication consultant for 40 years. I worked with almost all of the Fortune 500 companies. I wish I had had your sweet and to the point skills earlier