Frequently I find myself with 15 minutes to spare before a meeting, the end of the day, lunch with a friend, etc. It’s easy to let those minutes slip by, but I’ve found I can make them some of the most productive times of the day if I make a conscious decision to get something done.

To avoid spending 5 minutes to determine something I can do in 15 minutes, I keep a running list of things that I need to do when I have time. A few things on my list right now:

• Create a rule for my Inbox that automatically files emails into the right folders.
• Update my To Do List.
• Take a “think break” with a quick walk around the block.
• Return a phone call or schedule a meeting.
• Water the plants in my office.
• Send a quick hello, perhaps with a helpful tip or article I’ve run across, to a client I haven’t heard from in a while.
• Browse the newsletters, listserv messages and general emails I’ve been avoiding.
• Page through the industry magazines on my desk to note the articles I want to read.
• Dash off a Thank You Note to a recent client.
• Write a quick blog post (like this one…)

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