The Micromovement Method: A fun way for busy people to get things done

I recently came across a great technique to help busy people get things done. In the book “Juicy Pens Thirsty Paper” bestselling author Sark presents the idea of working in “micro movements”.

Whilst her book is aimed at people who want to write a book, you can use this technique to help you complete any project in a fun and creative way.

What is a micro movement?

It’s a little action step performed at a certain time and day that brings you one step closer to accomplishing your goal. It should take you between 5 seconds and 5 minutes to do.

Some examples of micromovements Sark presents in her book are:

Tue 8pm: Sharpen 20 pencils
Mon 7am: Turn on computer, title file: novel
Wed 2pm: Move book pages out of bottom drawer

But here comes the fun part – the micro-movement wheel of delight!

Here’s what a blank template looks like.

It works like this: Choose a project (any project) you need to work on and write this in the circle in the middle. Then, get clear on some small simple tasks (micromovements) to do that will take between 5 seconds and 5 minutes to do. Jot down a day and time that you will do that task.

You can have a lot fun with this strategy. Use colour. Draw pictures. Use creative language.

Once you complete a micromovement you can colour it in on the wheel of delight.

Why does this strategy work so well?

You are breaking down a large project into really small action steps that aren’t overwhelming for your brain and can fit easily into your busy schedule. As Sark states in her book –

“writers commonly assign themselves huge projects and then get discouraged when it doesn’t fit into “real life””

You are also gaining clarity on what needs to be done to move you forward, which helps to propel you into action. You see, often when we are unclear as to what has to be done next, we procrastinate.

Since your micro-movements only take 5 seconds to 5 minutes to complete you really have no excuses. Let’s get real, most of us spend at least 30 minutes a day watching television or on the internet. With this in mind, surely you can find the time to engage in several micro-movement on your wheel each day.

The micro-movement wheel of delight reminds me of some game from my childhood. In a fun way you can clarify your thoughts and next action steps. I think it’s also more exciting than writing a linear list and it’s a great visual reminder of what you need to do.

Sark says “I often have 10 wheels going at a time for 10 different writing projects”.

Don’t hold back. Start creating a micro-movement wheel of delight for a project you’ve been putting off or not starting because you “don’t have the time”. Let me know how you go!