15 Minutes At A Time

Starting A New Chapter + Taking Care Of Business

If you had told me a week ago that I could get my life together 15 minutes at a time, I would’ve laughed, rolled my eyes, and returned to ignoring the mess.

But here we are. Project Lite-Brite is kicking butt, making lists, and taking me on a journey of self-rediscovery.

After nearly four years of overthinking, avoidance, and a touch (okay, a mountain) of stubbornness, I finally decided to shake things up.

The secret to my so-far success? 15 minutes on, 45 minutes off.

A little hustle, a little lounge. A sprinkle of perspiration, some time for inspiration. Small wins add up fast. Those short bursts of sweaty to the oldies have helped me accomplish more in a few minutes at a time than I’ve been able to make happen in years. My to-do list must wonder who the fuck it’s working for.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I wasn’t suddenly possessed by the spirit of Marie Kondo.

I started small. A pile of clutter here, a dusty corner there.

Speaking of dust, I’m pretty sure I’m not sick…just dealing with allergies and muscle atrophy. After over a year of letting things go, spring cleaning will do that to ya.

But guess what? Despite the aches and sniffles, I kept going. Because 15 minutes? Even my most stubborn, avoidant, snack-loving self could handle that.

My variation on this relatively common productivity “hack” likely comes from two of my favorite creative writing books: Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott and How To Write A Movie In 21 Days by Viki King.

Both books break down big creative writing projects into bite-sized, non-intimidating chunks. You may not be able to write a novel or a screenplay in a single day. But you can write a page or even a paragraph. And before you know it? You’re on your way.

This applies to everything—cleaning, writing, creating, getting your life back on track. The goal isn’t to move mountains. It’s to move something. One sock off the floor. One sentence on the page. One step forward.

So, if you’re feeling blocked, overwhelmed, or just dramatically uninterested in being productive (relatable), try this: set a timer for 15 minutes and do something. Then reward yourself with a little break, a little joy, a little celebration of the fact that you did the thing.

Who knows? You might just surprise yourself. I know I did.

Now excuse me while I bask in my small but mighty victories.

Fifteen minutes at a time, boo. That’s the way I do it.

Have a great day!
Clint 🌈✌️

ON THIS DAY = FEBRUARY 17

BIRTHDAYS

• 1854 = Friedrich Alfred Krupp = German steel manufacturer and head of Krupp 🌈

• 1874 = Thomas J. Watson = American businessman

• 1920 = Curt Swan = American illustrator

• 1925 = Hal Holbrook = American actor and director

• 1934 = Alan Bates = English actor

• 1934 = Barry Humphries = Australian comedian, actor, and author

• 1937 = Mary Ann Mobley = American model, actor, and Miss America 1959

• 1945 = Brenda Fricker = Irish actor

• 1954 = Rene Russo = American actor

• 1956 = Richard Karn = American actor and game show host

• 1962 = Lou Diamond Phillips = American actor and director

• 1963 = Michael Jordan = American basketball player, executive, and businessman

• 1965 = Michael Bay = American director and producer

• 1966 = Peter Karlsson = Swedish hockey player 🌈

• 1971 = Denise Richards = American model and actor

• 1972 = Billie Joe Armstrong = American singer-songwriter

• 1972 = Taylor Hawkins = American singer-songwriter and musician

• 1974 = Jerry O'Connell = American actor, director, and producer

• 1976 = Kelly Carlson = American actor and model

• 1980 = Jason Ritter = American actor

• 1981 = Joseph Gordon-Levitt, American actor, director, and producer

• 1981 = Paris Hilton = American media personality and socialite

• 1989 = Chord Overstreet = American actor and singer

• 1991 = Ed Sheeran = English singer-songwriter

• 1991 = Jeremy Allen White = American actor

EVENTS

• 1904 = Italian composer Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly premiered at La Scala in Milan to poor reviews, forcing him to revise the opera.

• 1913 = The Armory Show opens in New York City, displaying works of artists who are to become some of the most influential painters of the early 20th century.

• 1938 = 1st public experimental demonstration of Baird color TV (London)

• 1984 = Footloose premieres in theaters.

• 1984 = Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure premieres in theateres.

HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES

• Black History Month

• LGBT History Month (UK)

• National Random Acts of Kindness Day (US)

• Presidents' Day (US)

PORTRAIT + QUOTE OF THE DAY

“In Edna, I created a satiric portrait of my hometown of Melbourne, a large provincial English city paradoxically in far Southeast Asia. She's a theatrical figure, related to vaudeville in some respects. She inhabits a world in which there are comparatively few female exponents of comedy.”
Barry Humphries