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Like most people, I have an ever-growing to-do list that seems nearly impossible to keep up with between my job, side projects, home life admin, and everything else. I’d constantly feel behind and overwhelmed despite logging long hours trying to power through it all.
That was until I started applying what I call the “20-Minute Rule” which has easily doubled my productivity over the last few months.
The 20-Minute Rule is simple: I don’t allow myself to work on any single task for longer than 20-minute spurts. I then take a 5–10 minute break before switching projects or switching gears within the same project.
I discovered this trick accidentally one day when I set my phone timer for 25 minutes so I could focus solely on writing without self-interruption.
When the alarm went off signaling my time was up, I realized I had accomplished more in those 20ish minutes than I sometimes did during hour-long blocks stuck spinning my wheels or distracted.
Here’s why the 20-Minute Rule works so well:
It Maximizes Focus
Having a set time limit creates a healthy pressure to zero in on the task at hand vs. frittering time…
