| Copyright (c) 2010 Jacqueline Sinfield | | | | preferences. |
| Very often it is the simplest things that make the | | | | Why is the timer so effective? |
| biggest different in our lives. The same is true | | | | Setting a timer helps to play a little trick on your |
| with increasing your productivity when you have | | | | brain. If you think you have to sit down and focus |
| ADHD. All you need is a kitchen timer! When you | | | | on a task for the next 4 hours that is very |
| start to use a timer you will find that it is a very | | | | daunting and so you but it off. However if you |
| powerful weapon to beat procrastination and | | | | say "I will just sit down for 30 minutes" that |
| overwhelm. Plus the side effect is that you feel | | | | seems more doable. When you have completed |
| incredibly good about yourself as you are | | | | the first 30 minutes your resistance to starting |
| experiencing progress with your goals and tasks | | | | the task has been broken. As our brain craves |
| that had been weighing on your mind. A simple | | | | completion, so you will naturally want to work for |
| kitchen timer allows you to focus on one task at | | | | another 30 minutes. |
| a time and start noticing a huge increase in your | | | | What happens if I do get distracted during those |
| productivity. | | | | 30 minutes? |
| How long should you set the timer for? | | | | When you first start using your timer, you may |
| That depends on the task. If you are sitting at | | | | find that thoughts or worries of other tasks pop |
| the computer doing mentally challenging tasks, | | | | into your mind. If this happens have a notebook |
| then 30 minutes is a good amount of time. It is | | | | by your side and jot down your thoughts. When |
| enough time to make progress on a project but | | | | the 30 minutes are up you can go back to your |
| not too long that you think you will never be | | | | notebook and address anything that you had |
| getting finished. | | | | written down. You will find the more you use your |
| If you are doing housework or de-cluttering 15 | | | | timer, the less you think of other things while you |
| minutes is good length, as time seems to drag on | | | | are working on a task. |
| when you are doing these tasks. However, you | | | | Go to a store today and buy a new kitchen timer |
| can experiment and adapt the amount of time | | | | and enjoy your increased productivity. |
| you set your timer to match your personal | | | | |