The Power of a Timer

• By Beth Meirav
• My Blog

We’ve all been there—looking at a task that feels so overwhelming, you keep putting it off. For me? It’s my garage. It’s a disaster zone, and I keep telling myself, “I’ll get to it when I have time.” Spoiler alert: that time never magically appears.

But then it hit me: what if I just set a timer for 15 minutes and tackled as much as I could? Not only does a timer create a sense of urgency, but it also feels manageable. After all, it’s just 15 minutes—what’s the worst that could happen?

Why Timers Work

1. They Remove Overwhelm: A huge task feels less daunting when you break it into smaller chunks. You’re not committing hours—just a few minutes.
2. They Add Focus: Knowing the clock is ticking helps you stay laser-focused. There’s no time for distractions when the timer is running!
3. They Create Momentum: Once you get started, you might find it’s easier (and even enjoyable) to keep going. Even if you don’t, you’ve still made progress!

Try It Yourself

Think about a task you’ve been avoiding. Maybe it’s cleaning out a junk drawer, organizing your pantry, or writing that email. Instead of letting it sit on your to-do list, set a timer and dive in!

Here’s how to do it:

• Pick one task.
• Set a timer for 10-15 minutes.
• Work on the task until the timer goes off.
• Celebrate what you accomplished—even if it’s not “finished.”

You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done in such a short amount of time. And if it’s not finished? Set another timer later and chip away at it.

My Timer Experiment

Back to my garage: I finally grabbed my phone, set the timer for 15 minutes, and got to work. By the time the timer buzzed, I’d cleared two shelves, sorted through a pile of random stuff, and found a box of old photos I’d forgotten about. It wasn’t perfect, but wow, did it feel good to make progress!

What’s Your 15-Minute Challenge?

This week, I challenge you to pick one thing you’ve been avoiding. Maybe it’s:

• Cleaning off your desk
• Prepping healthy snacks for the week
• Folding that laundry (we all have a pile somewhere!)
• Starting a project you’ve been procrastinating on

Set a timer, give it your all, and see how much you can accomplish. You might be surprised by what you can do in just a few minutes!

Here’s to tackling those tasks and feeling amazing about it—one timer at a time! ??

Stay healthy and fabulous!