If you’re work computer is anything like mine, then you have to wait at least 5 to 10 minutes for your machine to boot up each day. As a comedian, I’ve learned to take advantage of every small break in the day to get stuff done (usually working on some stand-up or doing a quick improv exercise).
Rather than get annoyed at this delay in the early morning, I embrace it. This is 10 minutes I have at work to be email/computer free. So here’s 15 things you can do while your computer is starting up:
- Eat breakfast.
- Go to the bathroom and wash your hands.
- Learn something new about one of your co-workers.
- Play sudoku or work on a crossword puzzle (print one out the day before).
- Skim through a newspaper or read a magazine article.
- Get in a quick nap.
- Meditate.
- Write a first draft of a blog post on paper.
- Organize your day in your head.
- Warm up your brain with “thumbs” and other improv exercises.
- Stretch.
- Listen to your voicemail or change it to be more effective.
- Go for a walk around the building.
- Organize your desk.
- Put post-its on a co-workers cube.
Guess which one I did this morning (and unfortunately it was not #15). Have your own computer boot-up routine? Share it in the comments.
