Being a business owner can feel overwhelming at times. There are constant demands for your attention, and the tasks you’d like to do to grow your business often take a back seat to the things you must do to keep the doors open.
Bills need to be paid, schedules made, inventory ordered, and payroll processed. Meanwhile, other valuable tasks—like updating your website, reaching out to potential clients, clearing out your inbox, developing new social media content, or reading a book to sharpen your skills—keep getting pushed to tomorrow.
Anders Ericsson popularized the Rule of 100, which says you can accomplish a great deal of learning, growth, and skill-building by consistently dedicating a small amount of time each day. Ericsson calculated that if you spent just 18 minutes per day on a task, it would add up to 100 hours in a year. The key is consistency.
Eighteen minutes is a small commitment. Most of us can find that many extra minutes in our day if we make it a priority. Here are a few suggestions to help you carve out those minutes:
- Wake up 18 minutes earlier.
- Take an 18-minute break mid-morning.
- Dedicate a portion of your lunch hour.
- Skip one half-hour television show.
Ways to Spend Your Extra 18 Minutes a Day
Read a business or financial book.
Depending on the titles you choose and your reading speed, you could finish 6–12 books a year by reading just 18 minutes a day.
Improve your social media content.
In 18 minutes, you can research trending topics and hashtags, write a quick post, respond to comments, and engage with followers and influencers.
Create a content calendar.
Spend one day a week using your 18 minutes to plan out your content calendar. In the beginning, you may need two days a week for this. As you get more efficient—or incorporate AI tools—you might only need one or two sessions per month.
Watch YouTube tutorials.
Many business-related videos are under 20 minutes and offer practical guidance on tools, software, or marketing tactics. (For example, I used YouTube to learn how to create newsletters in Mailchimp.) Just be careful to choose educational content over entertainment during this time.
Clean up your email inbox.
If you’re staring down hundreds (or thousands) of unread emails, it might take several 18-minute sessions to catch up. But once it’s under control, a session or two per month can keep it that way.
Make a networking call.
Reach out to a professional you’d like to partner with, follow up with a potential client, or reconnect with a former colleague. Plan what you want to say in advance and stay on task—most business calls last 5–15 minutes, so you can fit one or two into an 18-minute window.
Plan your day and set goals.
Many people find their most productive days start with a few minutes of intentional planning. Make a short list of what you need to accomplish and prioritize your top tasks. It helps you stay organized, focused, and less stressed.
Final Thoughts
Time is one of the most valuable resources a business owner has. By intentionally setting aside just a few minutes each day for the tasks that fuel your growth and sharpen your skills, you’ll start to see meaningful progress over time. Small, consistent actions can lead to big results—and it all starts with finding those 18 minutes.
How do you “find” extra minutes in your day?
How do you spend them?
I’d love to hear your strategies!
Susan's Reflections 
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