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  • Writer's pictureMelina Meador

When All You Have is 20 Minutes

Updated: Dec 9, 2018

Do you have something you really want to do (write a book, play an instrument, make a special handicraft, create a website, start a non-profit) that has both a finish line AND fits inside of the Schole definition? If you do, and I’ll bet you do, that is great news!

Welcome to the 20 Minute Club!



OK, so most of have 20 minutes in a day where we can fit in Schole. You may have to fight for it (usually against your own inner critic) but you can get it if you decide you want it badly enough. First steps are:


Schedule your 20 minutes for the same time each day. (Mine is after lunch clean up, while children are napping or in Room-Time and right before I exercise. Sometimes after I exercise if I need to get the blood flowing – though I find that I am so looking forward to my 20 minute project that I really want to get to it and then love allowing thoughts to softly rattle around and get re-situated while I exercise afterward.)


Stop what you are doing and go to your designated spot to work. No, sitting on the couch will not work for me. It may for you, but find your spot so that your tools are handy and your mind is in creative mode. The couch whispers sleepily to me so I need to avoid it’s grasp if I want to do so Schole.


Set a timer for 20 minutes. And then just sit and stare if you need to gather your thoughts first but then do your thing. The rest of the day is going to be a winner now because you worked on something that your entire life wants to accomplish (so this is big picture stuff) AND you gave your brain and soul something other than vocational work (which, don’t get me wrong, is incredibly important) and amusement. (Muse means to think and the prefix “a” means “not”, so amusement is basically “not thinking” and there’s a place for it in life but not as much as you may be getting.)


These simple steps are life-changing. The worst thing you can do is think, “I need two hours to do x,y and z and if I can’t get that, I’m not even going to start”. 20 minutes isn't going to get you super far in one day, but it will over time. Just take action and claim that small chunk of the day and watch what happens. Five years from now, you’ll be so far along and so glad you started.


“Most people overestimate what they can do in a day, and underestimate what they can do in a month. We overestimate what we can do in a year, and underestimate what we can accomplish in a decade." Matthew Kelly from the book, The Long View


No matter your daily schedule and duties, this is your life, your one and only. Use it well.

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