What Can You Get Done For Your Online Business In 15 Minutes?
September 1, 2011 · Print This Article
My day, although a blank canvas in the morning, is never smooth sailing. Every time I think I’ve got hours and hours ahead to create a new product or do something equally as exciting to make online money, I am proven so very wrong.
In truth, my day is full of issues, er, “challenges that allow for my growth”, plus unscheduled trips to the vet, blog formatting issues, customers with questions, research gone out of control, product creation, blog commenting, networking with like-minded marketers and so on. I’m bet it’s probably the same way with you.
photo credit: Martyn Hutchby
What happens to my blocks of time is they’re taken up with various activities that mostly take me forward in my business, but without everything flowing smoothly from one to another. I’m left with smaller bits of time. 15 minutes before the webinar starts, 15 minutes between submitting an article and my interview, and… you know what I mean, right?
But time is precious and every 15 minutes needs to be respected and treated with importance! I’ll even go so far as to say using those 15 minutes wisely can make a huge difference in our businesses.
Of course you have a choice when you see that extra slice of time staring you in the face right before your conference call, lunch date, kids returning home from school, webinar, etc. How will you spend it to move your business forward?
- Play some games of Spider Solitaire.
- Watch funny videos on YouTube.
- Surf OMG to see what the stars are wearing.
- Brainstorm possible blog topics and create a master list of them.
- Make a list of what still needs to be done before you can launch your next product just to get clear and focus.
- Start or continue reading or listening to the last product you bought. Keep a note as to which product and where you left off for next time.
- Skype with a potential JV partner, letting him know you only have 15 minutes. It’s amazing what you can accomplish in a 15 minute phone call.
- Brainstorm possible article or blog topics.
- Brainstorm possible products to create.
- Write down the next 3 things you’re going to do when you’re back at it.
- Pick a blog from your list of must-read blogs, read it and leave a comment.
- Pick one of your competitors and see what she’s up to on Twitter, Facebook and the forums. While you’re at it, put her name, in quotes on your Google Alerts.
- RT some friends’ tweets.
- Find 4 articles or posts that have to do with what your next article or post is going to be about. Copy down the links for future research.
- Visit your favorite forum and skim the thread titles until you find one that you are able to leave an intelligent answer on.
- Do some keyword research.
- Outline your next 2 articles.
- Write an email message to load into your autoresponder follow up messages.
- Tweet some of your old blog posts as part of your “best of” tweet series.
- Start a list of affiliate products you’d like to promote on your niche site. In a spreadsheet, list the product creator’s name, product, link, your affiliate link, date of possible promotion.
- Write an article. Challenge yourself to complete it in the 15 minutes. Even if you don’t, you’re closer to done than you were.
- If you haven’t already, add a social media plugin to your site.
- Add some testimonials you’ve gathered to your site.
- Outline a post or email mentioning your 3 best posts and why, with links.
- Record a quick audio where you talk about something that’s been bothering you in your niche. Post it and the conversation should start flowing.
- Check in with your VA.
- Report in to your accountability partner.
- Start a list of bloggers you’d like to guest post for and brainstorm some ideas. Their blog’s focus + your expertise = killer guest post.
And while not directly related to moving your business forward, getting rid of clutter and looking organized gets you clear for constructive action:
- Delete old emails you don’t need, without rereading them.
- Straighten up your desk/work space.
Okay, what ideas do you have to add to this list?
What do YOU like to do with your 15 minutes?
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Hi, Peggy!
There are many good ideas on your list that I will take into serious consideration.:)
As for answering your question on what I like to do with my 15 minutes…well, first I always like to clean up my working area…the more clean it is, the more clean my thoughts are-it is like some feng shui rule I convinced myself in, I guess. Then, there are things like bookmarking useful links, making notes of ideas for what to do next, answering mails…it can all be very quick, and yet it makes the essential part of the day, and if it all works out well, it means it will be a promising day ahead of me.:)
Kristina L. recently posted ..Bizfilings Coupon Code
It’s surprising how fast time goes by, so my motto is to do today everything I can, and not leave it for tomorrow. Although sometimes it’s hard to get into the mood and work, some of your advices are really good and should be tried out.
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 2nd, 2011 8:22 am
Hi Kristina,
Cleaning up your work area is a good one! I definitely need to do that more often as I believe it does make me more productive. Bookmarking links is great and I really like that you make notes. Powerful stuff!
Thanks,
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 2nd, 2011 8:24 am
Hello Mia,
Yes, time does go by fast! I love your motto – “Do today everything I can and not leave it for tomorrow”.
Thanks for that.
Peggy
Twitter: eugenefarber
on September 2nd, 2011 11:35 am
Are you trying to tell me that playing Spider Solitaire isn’t productive?!?!
It’s really incredible how fast time goes by. And then you kick yourself for not taking advantage of those 15minute increments…because once they’re gone, they’re gone. It’s really a practice in self-discipline.
Eugene recently posted ..How to Time Your Tweets Like a Scientist
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 2nd, 2011 6:29 pm
Hi Eugene,
Alas, I’ve tried to think of a way to make Spider Solitaire count as productive business time but I just couldn’t figure out how.
I know what you mean about kicking yourself when you don’t take advantage of the time you have… you can never get it back! You’re right, it comes down to self-discipline. Thanks for pointing that out.
Peggy
I think I needed this reminder today. Having 3 little ones at home, sometimes all I have is 15 minutes here and 15 minutes there to get work done. I have to admit there are sometimes I say, “why even bother I only have a few minutes” and I end browsing Facebook instead. Now, I have a nice list of things I can do that will help my business instead of looking at what everyone else is doing on FB.
Tiffany recently posted ..A Day In the Life of a Work at Home Mom
Twitter: smartboydesigns
on September 3rd, 2011 3:19 am
I tend to give myself 25 minute sections of time throughout the day. For me, it works. I can then spend that other 5 minutes taking a break, mixing it up – every half hour.
In my blocks of time I can pretty much accomplish any task. I will admit that if it’s heavy coding, trying to figure out a problem, or working on a post – I’ll spend much, much more solid time working on something. I certainly could get better at those breaks though.
Christian Hollingsworth recently posted ..Answering Reader Questions via Blog Post
Great list! We’re all guilty of procrastination sometimes, but once you get started doing something productive, it feels so good that you wonder why you didn’t get started sooner!
Johnny Optimo recently posted ..Installing WordPress
Wow, your list made me tired! I’ll pop in my 15 minutes here and there, especially since I work for myself, but I also plan 15 minutes here and there to relax, eat, go make a move in my Scrabble-like game on Facebook, etc. I do it so I don’t go crazy; but planning always seems to be the key.
Mitch Mitchell recently posted ..The Misunderstanding Of The First Amendment
I never plan my day with fixed blocks of time because i’m unable to keep a schedule. And if you make a plan and skip a step, the whole plan is ruined.
The truth is you can do a lot of things in 15 minutes, but i wouldn’t plan those, i’d just let them be done naturally during a break from more important things.
Richard recently posted ..How to Fill the Container for the Paint Zoom
This is a great reminder to be ‘proactive’ in your day! I’m starting my 15 minutes today..
Robert Benwell recently posted ..Robert Benwell updated Tue Jul 19 2011 11:12 am CDT
Twitter: adriennesmith40
on September 5th, 2011 2:44 pm
Great post Peggy and boy you sure got a lot of people sharing what they would do with that 15 minutes.
Me, I have breaks that include 10 minutes so it really depends on what I need to do at that time. Sometimes it’s responding to emails or commenting on a post or maybe I just need a break so I get up and walk around some. It really just depends on what I’ve got going for that day. I will tell you one thing, organizing my desk or cleaning it up is never a problem for me. I know, I’m really annoying that way.
Thanks Peggy for sharing these great tips. Enjoy your week.
Adrienne
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Twitter: pegbaron
on September 5th, 2011 6:29 pm
Hi Tiffany,
I’m lucky Facebook wasn’t around when I had little kids. But I sure feel for ya! When my kids were young I did medical transcription at home. I had to make every minute count while they were napping or otherwise occupied. I’m sure I would be distracted by social media today.
Thanks,
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 5th, 2011 6:32 pm
Hi Christian,
It sounds like you’ve got a good system. I work in longer blocks of time too, but a lot of times they just seem to be natural blocks rather than self-emposed.
Don’t you love it when you’re in The Zone and you can get a ton done, almost effortlessly and in a shorter period of time than you thought it would take?
I want more of those days!
Heavy coding? My hat is off to you.
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 5th, 2011 6:35 pm
Hi Mitch,
Oooh, don’t tell me about a Scrabble-like game on FB. La la la… I can’t hear you (hands over ears)!
And yes, we do need to take time out to relax and get our second wind. I’m all for that – in between the times where we get stuff done that’s business-related.
“Planning is key”, you are so right!
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 5th, 2011 6:38 pm
Hi Johnny,
Why is it that we procrastinate? Because you’re right, it does feel so good to get started and become productive! It’s like a big sigh of relief to finally get over the procrastination hurdle.
Thanks,
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 5th, 2011 6:39 pm
Hey Robert,
May your 15 minutes here and there bring you satisfaction with a day well-done.
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 5th, 2011 6:44 pm
Hi Adrienne,
Yes, breaks are very important and everyone needs to take them regularly throughout the day. But the 15 minutes I’m talking about in the post are not the break times, they’re just smaller chunks of designated work times that seem to happen in the course of the day.
I like to take walking breaks too. That’s when I can come up with some amazing ideas or have clarity about my business.
I know your desk is probably spotless, Adrienne! You’re the master at organization and purpose.
Peggy
It is amazing how much you can get done once you sit down and just start doing it.
I am easily one of the biggest procrastinators when it comes to my business, which is the exact opposite of how I am at the day job. Today I just started working and got a lot done.
I bought a little kitchen timer to help move me to writing my articles. I set the timer for 15 minutes and get moving. I know I can write an article faster than that, but the timer helps keep me on the job.
I have also started using my 15 minute free time at the day job to get stuff done for my business too. I am sitting on more articles outlined than ever now, if I can get things moving my store inventory is primed to explode.
Anyways, back to work. Great post as always.
Doug
Doug Wakefield recently posted ..Steam Cleaner/Steam Mop PLR Article Pack 1
15 minutes??I think it is so short for do a miracle but you made it possible…Thanks for the post though…
Lenny recently posted ..AML treatment: Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Hi Peggy,
That’s a huge list! ^^ You know what, I only got to know the real meaning of the saying, “Time is gold” or “time is precious than gold”, when I started to have an online job. When I’m here in my small apartment, I’m stuck in front of my laptop and I seldom have time to go home to my parents, go out with friends, wash the laundry, or cook my own meals. So everytime I have a few minutes to spare, I make sure that it is something I need to accomplish. 15 minutes would be enough for me to cook or buy a meal, clean the dishes, or clean my room.
Miles | Wedding Marquee Hire recently posted ..Marquees for Hire
Twitter: pattistafford
on September 6th, 2011 1:27 pm
Great tips, Peg!
I purchased 15 Minute Marketing (by Jenn Dize) not too long ago and it worked really well the first week. Unfortunately, a weekend came and I forgot all about it the next week.
I need to read it again. Thanks for the reminder that great things can happen in 15 minutes.
~Patti
Patti Stafford @ Sassy PLR recently posted ..Daily Affiliate Tasks Review
Twitter: stevescott1
on September 6th, 2011 7:24 pm
Peggy,
OOOO I am always down for Spider Solitaire!!!
LOL
This is exactly what I love about breaking tasks into short time blocks. It is easy to look at your list and get “X,Y,Z” knocked out with your minimal amount of free time.
What people forget sometimes is that the small 15 minute time blocks that get wasted staring at your navel contemplating Nirvana can quickly add up.
Steve@Internet Lifestyle recently posted ..The Challenge: How to Build a Million Dollar Blog
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 6th, 2011 7:24 pm
Hey Doug,
It’s nice to see you back to work and done with procrastinating.;) Isn’t it amazing what you can get done once you get busy?
A timer is a great idea. I use an online timer myself, but sometimes I plain forget to.
Thanks,
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 6th, 2011 7:25 pm
Hi Lenny,
It sure can seem like a miracle when you set your mind to getting something done in a 15 minute time period!
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 6th, 2011 10:55 pm
Hi Patti,
Oh, I didn’t know Jenn had a product out about 15 Minute Marketing! I’ll have to check it out. Now, you get back on that horse, girl!
Peggy
Peggy recently posted ..5 Things I Learned From Walt Disney
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 6th, 2011 10:56 pm
Hi Steve,
Pleeeaasse don’t encourage me about the Spider Solitaire!
“What people forget sometimes is that the small 15 minute time blocks that get wasted staring at your navel contemplating Nirvana can quickly add up.” – Well said, Steve!
Thanks,
Peggy
Peggy recently posted ..NAMS6 Affiliate Marketing Instructors Rocked!
Peggy!
All solid tips here. It’s hard to think that so much can be done in 15 minutes when it seems like we have an entire day but that short period of time can do phenomenal things to your productivity.
Hell, sometimes I spend a good 15 minutes brainstorming blog post ideas and before I know it – I have about 100 to work with.
Clearing out emails is another good option because it won’t be looming over your head.
My favorite 15 minute productivity sprint is making up a fresh brew of coffee, from scratch. It clears my mind, lets me focus and then I get the good stuff afterward. During that time, I can reflect and calm down before “storm of work”.
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 7th, 2011 9:32 pm
Hi Miles,
Wow, it really sounds like you understand the value of time! Thanks for sharing.
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 7th, 2011 9:35 pm
Hey Murray,
Somehow I can picture you doing all of these in one 15 minute swoop.
Sometimes I think it’s better not to have a lot of time on your hands because then you feel like you have all day to do one thing. Now that you’re online fulltime, you probably know what I’m talking about. lol
Spending 15 minutes brainstorming is one of my favorites, although I don’t come up with as many ideas as you do. Mmmm…. that fresh coffee sounds really good right now.
“Storm of work” – I like that!
Thanks,
Peggy
Twitter: rojishroy
on September 8th, 2011 10:52 pm
For me dividing tasks in to smaller time intervals like 15 minutes or 25 minutes is the best way to get things done. I use a small application called Focus Booster to help me in keep focusing during this 15 minutes interval. It is the best way to do things for people like me who always love to procrastinate
Rojish recently posted ..10 Awesome Tools to Increase Productivity for Bloggers
i admire your being so organized with your work. you really put your mind and soul into it. During my day off, If i have nothing to do after housework, I get my pen and paper and do some scribbling for tomorrows work. Making keywords, link text or set up for my video editing. It is really good to think ahead before indulging your self in a work.
tonypet46 recently posted ..online dating
Twitter: WebTrafficCafe
on September 10th, 2011 6:39 am
This post should go on my bookmarks. That way, when I next have 15 minutes, I can simply read about how I could be more productive. LOL! Just kidding. These are excellent tips and if you do even just one of them you will save a lot of time in the long run.
PS Wanted to make sure you saw your blog on my new CommentLuv enabled blog list!
Ana | how Google works recently posted ..Thesis Theme
Thanks for these practical ideas!Hmm. 15 mins. -Bookmark my favorite sites or check on my google docs.
Eden recently posted ..Gratis tandblekning från Extreme White
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 11th, 2011 9:45 am
Hi Rojish,
It’s good that you’ve found the best time increments that work for you. I’ve never heard of Focus Booster, but I wonder if it’s similar to an application I use. I’ll have to check it out because I like things that help me focus and achieve results.
Thanks,
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 11th, 2011 9:48 am
You are spot on, Tony. Thinking ahead to your next bit of work is key. Not only do you end up getting more done, but you’re working on what you should be working on, with purpose.
Thanks,
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 11th, 2011 9:54 am
Hi Ana,
Ha! Yes, reading this blog post could take up someone’s 15 minutes. And I agree that by doing some of them they could save you time in the long run. That’s a good way of looking at it.
Yay! I made TrafficGenerationCafe’s CommentLuv enabled list! Thank you for taking the time to put that all together. It’s an amazing list.
Peggy
Interesting list… Most of all i like saying to partner that you have ONLY 15 minutes. That will really activate his brain activitty
Twitter: ascamorlegit
on September 14th, 2011 9:47 am
The essential thing I like to do with my 15 minutes is respond to customer emails on my eCommerce sites. Nothing is worse that a customer waiting for a response and it stays on my mind so this is always a priority.
Then I move onto watching funny stuff on YouTube
sandip recently posted ..Groupon
I think it’s better not to have a lot of time on your hands because then you feel like you have all day to do one thing. Now that you’re online full time, you probably know what I’m talking about…
soccer recently posted ..truck games
Keep moving forward don’t let temptation distract you.. That’s a good tip!
Sally Thompson recently posted ..express oil change coupons
Twitter: SheilaAtwood
on September 15th, 2011 3:49 pm
Peg,
Nice list! I am always amazed at what I can get accomplished when I have a time crunch.
I have a list of things I want to get done, so I do have things I can turn to when I have that 15 minutes between major tasks or events. Usually they are updates on my site, This week I have been updating my recommends page…which has been long over due.
I also like spending the time to organize and you have some great organizing suggestion I can add to my list.
Sheila Atwood recently posted ..Speedlinking To Learning Online Video
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 15th, 2011 7:25 pm
josh – Nothing like putting the fear into someone and telling him he ONLY has 15 minutes!
sandip – I’m with ya on responding to customer emails. Those take priority! Re: YouTube, we do need to take breaks too.
soccer – oh yes, I know exactly what you mean!
Sally – I love your tip – “keep moving forward don’t let temptation distract you”.
Thanks!
Peggy recently posted ..NAMS6 Affiliate Marketing Instructors Rocked!
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 15th, 2011 7:30 pm
Hi Sheila,
I think time crunches are sometimes the best thing to happen to my day as they force me to focus, and challenge me to get things done.
Good idea on updating your site in small bursts. It’s much more manageable that way. My recommendation pages on 2 of my blogs need some serious updating. I’ll add it to my To Do list…
Thanks,
Peggy
Peggy recently posted ..5 Things I Learned From Walt Disney
Twitter: blogstashdotcom
on September 15th, 2011 7:54 pm
I have been trying to do this for a long time, but I kept putting it off. Writing down your tasks and assigning time limit for each is a great way to stay on track and I really think it will boost productivity as well.
By the way Peggy, I think getting rid of clutter and being organized should be a top priority. I do this once a week or so. I have red somewhere that an organized work space does actually help you become more productive both physically and more importnatly, mentally.
Good read Peggy. Thanks.
Satrap recently posted ..Make Money with Google Places- Step by Step Guide
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 15th, 2011 9:59 pm
Hi Satrap,
I had heard that about being organized and clutter-free boosts productivity too. I wonder if anyone has actually tested it and has some concrete numbers to share?
when we take these 15 minutes seriously at the end of the day we realize the productivity increase that we have been able to achieve
I just love your motto “Do today everything I can and not leave it for tomorrow”. This is definitely right because in business there is always change every seconds and you need to be there to go and witness its change.
LISA P. recently posted ..How to trade forex
Twitter: BousquetCMP
on September 26th, 2011 2:01 pm
15 minutes is the perfect time for social media. Leave some comments, send out a couple of tweets, read a blog post or 2.
The key is to not turn it into an hour!
Another thing I have found I can do in 15 minutes is to turn an article into a powerpoint presentation, to be recorded as a video later.
Daphne Bousquet, CMP recently posted ..Event Planning Tool Kit
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 26th, 2011 7:16 pm
Hi Ajay,
Yes! Every 15 minutes is serious. Well put!
Thanks,
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 26th, 2011 7:18 pm
Hi Lisa,
Mottos are good to have, aren’t they?
Sometimes I like to challenge myself to see just how much I can accomplish in each of those 15 minutes I run into during the day.
Peggy
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 26th, 2011 7:25 pm
Well hi, Daphne!
I agree that 15 minutes is the right amount of time to get active on social media. I do find it hard to stop so I set a timer. Otherwise, it’s like eating the whole bag of chips without knowing it.
What a great idea for a powerful 15 minutes – turning an article into a powerpoint. Thanks for that suggestion.
Peggy
I like to take that extra time to go outside stand in my yard and look at my house, proving to myself that I am indeed working from home. It makes the self-self-dicipline part of my work from home life that much easier.
Never take anything for granted. Enjoy the little things!
Just wanted to say thank you so much for this post. It really helped getting my juices flowing on things I could be doing. Please, feel free to write more articles like these or even email me some. Looking forward to reading more and getting to action with my plans.
Sincerely, Brandy Roberts
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 27th, 2011 9:38 pm
Hi Kelli,
Standing outside and looking at your house to confirm you are, indeed working from home – I love it! I can see how that helps your self-discipline.
Sometimes I’ll listen to the traffic reports on the radio and I’m very thankful I’m not out there stuck in that mess going to work.
Twitter: pegbaron
on September 27th, 2011 9:40 pm
Helloooo Brandy,
How are you?
You know, sometimes having a list to look helps me from sitting around wondering what I should do. I just look at my list and I don’t even have to think about it, I’ll just do something on there.
I’m glad your juices are flowing! I’ll try to give you more posts like this. I’m a productivity-lover.
Thanks,
Peggy
Nice list! This list only shows that 15 minutes of our day can still make something difference in our online business. We should be able to figure out how we can spend all of our time wisely. No matter how small or big our steps, we must still give importance to it.
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