Donna Reish, weight loss coach, Intermittent Fasting teacher, blogger, and author of over 100 language arts/writing curriculum books for students from K-12th grades, introduces her 14-Minute-Fix for Productivity and Clarity in this Fast Shot video. First, she gives an overview of the process—that you can either do 14 minutes in the morning, 14 minutes in the evening, or both. If you do AM and PM, it is literally spending 2% of your day planning in order to make the other 98% of your day the most effective and productive as it can be!
Then Donna describes her PM 14 Minute Fix (and how a good tomorrow starts tonight!): First, she checks the calendar for tomorrow’s activities. Then she moves into her First Five and Fast Five (at least three of each if her calendar and dailies allow enough time). Then she charges everything. Next, she evaluates today’s food. And then she leaves “bread crumbs” for tomorrow’s early morning activities, including journal station and workout clothes.
Donna has an AM 14 Minute Fix and a PM one (not everyone needs to). She next goes into detail with her AM Fix: First, she double checks her calendar for today’s activities. Then she adds to her First Five and Fast Five (if her calendar and dailies allow enough time). Then she time blocks her day—what is happening each hour of the day, when she will do what. She then takes a few minutes to write down tomorrow’s food (“decide ahead of time”—again, maybe five minutes or less). Finally, she leaves bread crumbs for after her workout—having some of her tasks set up and ready for when she returns and is ready to start her work. Learn more about productivity, Intermittent Fasting, and weight management at https://donnareish.com
A. Overview
1. 14 minutes in the morning or evening or both to plan
2. 14 minutes is 1% of every 24 hour period
3. AM and PM 14 minute fix=2% planning to make 98% most effective and productive as possible
4. Set timer and be super specific about not doing anything but planning—turn off notifications; do this when uninterrupted
5. Don’t work during this time—just plan, lay out, prep, and leave “bread crumbs” for future work
6. If you’re having two a day, start with PM—“A good tomorrow starts today!”
a. True for everyone
b. But especially true for moms of small kids or homeschoolers
B. 14 Minute Fix PM (Sample)
1. Look at calendar for tomorrow first!
2. Write First Five*— five (if your calendar showed you will have enough time for five non-dailies) most important non-daily tasks for tomorrow (list at least 3 night before) (video training: https://donnareish.com/fast-five-first-five-making-weekly-tasks-happen-video/)
a. Planner
b. Sticky notes
c. Note on phone labeled TODAY —and under here I jot down things for future days so that my TODAY note becomes my daily doc….I always know how and where to find these lists
3. Write Fast Five*—five most important quick non-daily tasks for tomorrow—these should take ten minutes or less each (I list First Five and Fast Five at the same time so I can plug them in where they need to go)
4. Charging—blue tooth, phone, computer, ipad
5. Evaluate today’s food plan and the execution of it (a couple/few minutes)
6. Leave bread crumbs for tomorrow’s success
a. Journal, planner, timer, computer, etc. all positioned and neat
b. Clothes and shoes for workout tomorrow
c. Tomorrow’s trainings found and cued up
NOTE: The 14 Minute Fix PM does not include daily habits at night of surfaces and sinks; showering; face routine; picking up house, etc. The 14 Min Fix is all about planning for the next work session for me. “Never go to bed at night without knowing exactly what you’re doing tomorrow!”
*First Five and Fast Five do not include my dailies—these are listed on a tracker by themselves and include working out, morning writing, reading, daily outlines of future content, connecting with my groups, training each day for weight loss/life coaching—all things that are daily “work day” tasks. (Training on Dailies: https://donnareish.com/organization-beginnings-dailies/)
C. 14 Minute Fix AM (Sample)
1. Check calendar again!
2. Update First Five (again, based on calendar today)
3. Update Fast Five (again, based on calendar today)
4. Time Block (article: https://donnareish.com/using-block-scheduling-for-help-with-intermittent-fasting/)
a. Plug in day’s activities, Five Five, Fast Five, etc. into blocks of time
b. Dailies are already plugged in for the most part
5. Tomorrow’s food written down (“Decide Ahead of Time”)
6. Leave bread crumbs for after workout—what will I start on first…have that set up and ready to start so I don’t procrastinate
*First Five and Fast Five do not include my dailies—these are listed on a tracker by themselves and include working out, morning writing, reading, daily outlines of future content, connecting with my groups, training each day for weight loss/life coaching—all things that are daily “work day” tasks. (Training on Dailies: https://donnareish.com/organization-beginnings-dailies/)
