by Pallavi Pandit

Have you heard yourself saying "I wish I had the time for this..." Well, the truth is, however busy you may be, you do have the time. With the hectic mad pace of life, it is easy to waste time that you could have set aside for yourself. I suggest that you take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves.

Put aside 15 minutes every day and do something worthwhile. Do something for yourself. You'll be amazed what you can achieve in those few minutes set aside every single day.

You can set a 15 minute count down timer for an activity such as do yoga, arrange your cupboard, go for a walk, clear up the papers you don't need, arrange your clothes, read a book, clean the kitchen, dance, play with your kids, have a hot relaxing shower.... The list is endless. Be creative and think up fun ways to add constructive activity each day to your life for just 15 minutes. This 15 minute fun routine has made a dramatic positive difference in the life of thousands of people. It improves vocabulary to self confidence to finishing off what seemed like cumbersome tasks with ease, improving fitness levels and relationships.

I'm sure you want to know why 15 minutes, why not any lesser or more? There is no clear answer to this. It just seems like 15 minutes is neither too long to get something done nor short enough to be tolerable. Let's say for example, the hardest part of achieving fitness is taking the first step and making the much needed lifestyle changes. By cutting down an overwhelming goal into 15 minute time slots, it seems so much easier to begin achieving the seemingly difficult tasks. The 15 minute rule need not only be applied to tasks that you need to complete. You can even spend the 15 minutes time to hang out with your kids. Its quality time, you can even read a motivational story to your kids in that time. They will be so delighted and you will know you did the best possible thing with your time.

The best thing is, you can find those 15 minutes at any time of the day, late evening or night. Whatever time fits in your schedule is perfectly fine. You can even use the coffee break at work and go for a quick job, or do some simple stretching exercises especially if you work in a desk bound job. This will relax and loosen your limbs. It can be something as simple as watering the plants early in the morning and thanking God for each new day.

Here are 15 ideas for what you can do in those 15 minutes: 

1. Take a hot water shower
2. Go for a brisk walk
3. Do yoga at the crack of dawn
4. Grab a power nap
5. Put together a healthy snack
6. Catch up with a friend on the phone
7. Give yourself a head, neck and shoulder massage
8. Listen to soothing music
9. Watch the daily news
10. Clean up and arrange a cluttered drawer
11. Write a letter to somebody you want to say something nice to
12. Just sit down in silence and meditate
13. Give yourself a lovely manicure or pedicure
14. Plan out the menu for the whole week so you can write down your grocery list.
15. Give yourself a beauty treatment. Use a face mask. Cleanse, steam and moisturize 

It is a simple technique of fitting in 15 minutes in your daily routine everyday, but once you get started, you can tackle even the biggest and most difficult tasks with ease. The moment those 15 minutes are up, just stop and see how much you have achieved. And, if you are a lazy slacker like me who leaves everything for tomorrow, you will be amazed how much you accomplish with the 15 minutes fun routine.

Home Remedies Cures is your guide to deal with your everyday health problems at your convenience. Pallavi writes articles for a number of websites and international magazines. The topics range from home remedies, aromatherapy, massage therapy, yoga, diet and nutrition, exercise and fitness (health topics) to personality development guidance.