Today’s Wednesday Wisdom post is a two-for-one. Why? Because Parts Four and Five of our Scheduling Success series are the same yet different.

Though they both involve a common item you might already have in your kitchen or on your phone, o One tip is designed to help you get more work done and the other does exactly the opposite.

Tip #4: Set a timer—and get to work!

I sometimes work in small pockets of time, for example, while I’m waiting to make a scheduled phone call, for dinner to finish cooking in the oven, or until I need to leave for an appointment.

You’ve most likely been in similar situations. Knowing you have to keep an eye on the clock can prevent you from fully focusing on what you need to do.  Setting a timer can solve that problem.

Timers help you stay on task. When you know that at a certain time you’ll get a reminder to stop—or to regroup, if you’re working on multiple steps of a project—you’re better able to shut out thoughts about what’s next on your agenda, along with other distractions. This leaves your mind is free to concentrate on the work at hand.

Tip #5:  Set a timer—and give yourself a break!

Some of us (raising hand) tend to hyper-focus when we’re involved in a project or even when we’re doing something for pleasure, such as working on crafts or reading a good book. That hyper-focus, keeping us in one place and often seated in one position, can lead to future trouble with our eyes, bodies, and overall health.

Timers give you the much-needed breathers you might forget to take without that bell, buzzer, or alarm going off.

If you’ve never used a timer in either of the above ways, I hope you’ll give one or both of these ideas a try and let me know what you think.

To see the previous tips for Scheduling Success, check out part 1, part 2, and part 3.

And stop by next week for our final installment!