Before the Sand Runs Out

I've started using a 99 cent plastic green egg timer hourglass at work.  When I flip the hourglass, it takes about 2 minutes for the sand to run out.  I'm using this cheap, ugly egg timer to help me get through my e-mail in-box.

One of the key reco's from Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity is to immediately finish any tasks that take less than two minutes.  Don't bother putting them on a To-Do List.  It's not worth the effort.  Just finish it.  Your "To Do List" should only include the items that take longer than two minutes.

So if you can deal with something in less than 2 minutes--responding to an e-mail, making a phone call, or any other quick task--don't write it down, JUST DO IT!

But how do you get a feel for what tasks take 2 minutes?  I start answering an e-mail, thinking it will be quick, but start elaborating and elaborating.  Suddenly, 20 minutes have passed.

My 99 cent egg timer holds me accountable.  It becomes a game.  I flip the cheesy green plastic hourglass and then start responding to an e-mail.  Can I finish responding and delete the original before the sand runs out?  I made it?  WOO HOO!  Can I squeeze in another?   And another?

When I got to work on Monday, after 4 vacation days, I had 122 messages in my In-box.  This was much more than deleting junk mail.  It involved answering a lot of hard questions.  But the pressure of the egg timer helped me make my point quickly and move on.  I was able to drive the In-box below 60 in less than 2 hours.  I felt much more "caught up" and more confident about my choices of what to accomplish for the rest of the week.