Friday Favorite: Digital Timers—Get Things Done Using Small Bits Of Time

If time seems to constantly get away from you, keeping track of it is a good idea. I love this handy little digital timer, but there are many other timers that you probably have on hand. Most cell/smart phones have alarms and timers built into them. There are timers in your kitchen, on your microwave, oven or stove. Here are some ways I like to use timers:

• Deadline timing: If I'm on a tight deadline for something, I'll set the timer and designate a certain amount of time to each item or part of a project. Sometimes working under pressure helps to push me along and the timer keeps me from allowing distractions.
• Time the kids: The best use of a timer in my household is with the kids. We can agree on an amount of time that they can be gaming, computing or watching TV and set the timer. If I don't set a timer, I often forget and they can be entranced for hours!
• Beat the clock: You can also use the timer to play beat the clock. If you want to get something done, but you have limited time, keep that timer out with a digital countdown.
• 30 Minute Fix: If you have a big project looming that's wasting more energy in thought than action, set the timer for 30 minutes and take the first chunk out of it. Getting started can often get you moving in the right direction and it certainly helps to eliminate the overwhelm.
• 10 Minute Tidy: Carve out ten minutes, set the timer and do a ten minute tidy. I'm sure there are many times that you should be giving it a lot more than the ten minutes, but if it's a busy day, ten minutes is better than no minutes!

It's great to have a digital timer thats out and available for all to see. There are so many other ways to use a timer to make best use of your time, whether it's pending projects, organizing a space or managing the kids, always be aware of the time, after all it is our most valuable and limited resource. What are some ways you use timers to get things done?