10 Productive Things to Do with 10-Minute Breaks in Your Day

As busy individuals, we often find ourselves with just a few minutes of free time scattered throughout the day. It may not seem like enough time to do anything productive, so we end up wasting it by doing mindless things like browsing social media or staring aimlessly at a computer screen. However, if we utilize these short bursts of time, we can increase our productivity and accomplish more throughout the day. Here are ten productive things you can do with ten-minute breaks in your day:

1. Make a Phone Call
Pick up the phone and make a few quick calls. Maybe it’s to follow up on something, make a plan or just catch up with a friend. The best part is that since you have only ten minutes, you won’t get into a long, drawn-out conversation that you don’t have time for.

2. Cook
If you have ten minutes, use it to make yourself some food, either for now or later. You can make a quick meal for lunch or throw together a snack for later. Having something to munch on, or having the cooking process started, will make it all go faster when you need it to.

3. Nap
Take a ten-minute nap. Put your head down, close your eyes, and go to sleep. Even a few minutes of sleep can be beneficial. You’ll come back rejuvenated, in a better place to do more later.

4. Read Something
Keep a reading list somewhere accessible. It can be a bookmarks file on your computer or an app like Instapaper. Plow through a few articles or blog posts in spare moments. Reading is an excellent way to learn and can expose you to interesting concepts you’d never find otherwise.

5. Write Emails
Similar to phone calls, we all have emails we need to write, even if they’re not important this very second. In ten minutes, you can write several emails and respond to a chunk of your “Reply To” list. It will make other people happy, and it will make you feel more productive.

6. Strike Up a Conversation
Use the opportunity to build a relationship during your free time. Strike up a conversation with someone around you, whether it’s a coworker, a neighbor cubicle, or the barista at the coffee shop. Time flies, and you might even meet someone interesting.

7. Clean Up
Organize during your breaks. You’d be surprised at how much filing you can do or how much email purging and sorting you can finish in ten minutes. Pick one area or one task, and plow through it. You can clear your desk or a pile of junk.

8. Brainstorm
Brainstorming and mind mapping are excellent ways to spend a few spare minutes. Start writing down what you need to do, and great ideas might come up in the process. You could also create a list of 100 centered around a particular topic (Ideas for Making Millions), with precisely 100 items: no more, no less. You’d be surprised at how your imagination flows.

9. Stumble
Use the StumbleUpon website or toolbar to explore the web. You can learn new things, expose yourself to interesting tidbits you’d never find otherwise and broaden your horizons.

10. Journal
Use the opportunity to write in your journal. Jot down the day’s high- and low-lights, or just the first few things that come to mind since you last wrote in your journal. It’s a great way to document your life and have something to look back on in the future.

In conclusion, utilize your ten-minute breaks to make a difference in your life. You’ll be surprised at how these small actions can add up and make a significant impact on your productivity. Do you have other ideas for utilizing free time in productive ways? Share them in the comments!