12-Minute Basics (Revisited)

The 12-Minute Series was originally posted in 2012.

We’ve decided to republish it integrally because we believe it can still help as everyone aspires to make things better.

Let’s hope it stirs up the discussion and stimulates you to change the world 12-Minute at a time!

This article was originally posted on January 12, 2012

Help To Change 

By suggesting simple methods and unique ideas, the 12-Minute Approach will help you implement change and improve.

For exemple, for most people, the optimum concentration period is only 12 minutes. That is, the time they can really focus on a task.

So, learn to concentrate harder and focus on what’s at hand. Also consider that some change of pace may often help.

Minimal Effort: Great Results

So, invest a little of your time each day! Start improving anything you wish by taking an average of 12 minutes a day or 1 hour a week (I know 12 minutes a day ≠ 60 minutes a week but my weeks have only 5 days and free weekends).

Try to focus on making the small changes that have the biggest impact.  This way, you can obtain great results with minimal effort.

12 minutes a day can go a long way.

• So if you are shy…take 12 minutes a day to talk the people. 
• If you need to lose some weight…take 12 minutes a day to exercise or to cook healthier meals.
• If you are agitated and stressed…take 12 minutes a day to meditate.
• ...

Just take a little time each day to make any change you wish or you need.

Magic Number 12

The 12-Minute Approach offers a refreshing way to view the world.  In fact, the more you look at it; a lot of things in our lives revolve around Number 12.

It’s more than the obvious 12 eggs in a dozen.

With 12, you’ll accomplish just a bit more than the traditional 10.

You’ll find that 12 is often just enough and but not too much. So reorganize everything around magic number 12.

• Begin the day with your 12-point morning routine. 
• You’ll also spend 12 hours a day to meet your basic needs (sleep, eat, rest,…) and 12 hours for your activities (work, study, commute, play,…).
• Each hour, plan your appointments and your tasks using five 12-Minute Periods instead of the classic four 15-minute periods. The end result is more productivity!
• Limit your projects to a maximum of 12 steps. Also break down each step to no more than 12 tasks.
• Your career and life plans should be setup with 12 prime goals each year.
• You should be able to describe yourself with 12 main lines of characters and to envision 12 major whole life dreams.
• ...

The Numbers of Nature : 12 but also 5 and 60

Although the importance of these numbers resulted from conventions adopted by men, they seem to be in sync with nature.

• There's 60 seconds in a minute (5x12 seconds),
• 60 minutes in an hour (again 5x12 minutes) and
• 24 hours in a day.  Ho!  24 hours not 12 hours...? 

In fact, on average, your day will be evenly split in 12 hours to meet your basic needs and 12 hours occupied by your activities. And 12-Minute x 60 equals...12 hours!

Your day can also be divided in 12-Minute Periods, there's 120 of these periods a day (again 12x5x2 or 60x2). 

You can easily spare 1 period a day (out of 120) to evolve and change.

Our week, 5 days (remember our free week-ends) as 600 12-Minute Periods (60x5x2).

Once more, 5 periods or an hour (out of 600 periods) is a small token to pay to change the world.

A Psychological Effect

The 12-Minute Approach also has a great psychological effect.  First, it’s much easier to focus only 12 minutes at a time.

Furthermore, a minimal number is required to stimulate your brain.  But a maximal number of information can be processed and assimilated by your brain. This number is strangely often around 12.

Have you ever heard of Par-12 Golf?

Golf is another great example: you can break down the traditional 18 holes par 72 into six times 3 holes par 12.

That way, you can focus on only 3 holes at a time. Your goals will be much easier to achieve. You’ll soon translate these improvements to the full 18 holes.

So start thinking in 12!

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