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How to Be Productive Using the 20|20|20 Rule

by Olufisayo
How to Be Productive

In the workplace, more and more tasks are required of you and the daily grind of the day can cause you to lose your excitement and ambition. People are adopting the 20-20-20 rule in their personal lives to keep them ambitious and focused on their goals.

The practice was created to help put your brain in gear, give you focus and stamina and help you stay relaxed and motivated all day.

What is the 20-20-20 rule?

The 20-20-20 rule helps increase productivity in your personal life and workday, by helping you stay relaxed and keep a clear head by:

  • Spend 20 minutes of your morning exercising
  • 20 minutes of your day reviewing goals and daily plans
  • And the last 20 minutes are for reading or listening to something that inspires you.

What the 20-20-20 Rule Does for You

The goal of the 20-20-20 rule is to help you focus and rejuvenate your ambition every day to accomplish your goals. What does ambition mean?

In this case, ambition is what drives you to achieve your goals. So, when you aren’t feeling enthusiastic, you can lose focus on your goals and productivity.



Practicing the 20-20-20 rule can help lessen your stress and improve your mental wellness.  The rule is based on helping these four elements:

  • Mind – focusing on being aware and careful about negative information you are taking in either from social, media, the internet, or negative people around you. You want to have a clear and positive mindset.
  • Health – healthy people have lower stress and higher productivity levels. Take at least 7 minutes out of your morning to do a work-out at home. Exercising in the morning energizes you for the day ahead. If you feel like you aren’t being as productive as you’d like, it may be an indication of magnesium deficiency. You can take an online magnesium deficiency test to make sure everything is alright. It’s important to listen to your body and notice if it’s warning you about low magnesium levels.
  • Heart – write down your thoughts in a personal journal to keep control of your dreams.
  • Soul – contribute to your soul by being the right person, making donations, helping others, and showing gratitude.

Using the 20-20-20 Rule in Everyday Life

Following the 20-20-20 rule in the morning by giving yourself one-hour to complete 20 minutes of movement, 20 minutes of reflection, and 20 minutes of growth can help put you in the right mindset to tackle your day. However, while at work, there is a different 20-20-20 rule to follow to help you keep productive throughout the day.

This rule was created to help prevent eye strain and clear your mind.  Every 20 minutes, you need a change of pace. Every 20 minutes you need to stand up.

Every 20 minutes walk 20 yards. Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet ahead. Here are some of the benefits of committing to using the 20-20-20 rule to be productive:

  • Stand Up – burn calories, prevent leg cramps and muscle spasms, and keep your circulation flowing
  • Walk 20 yards – excellent for your heart, keeps you active, keeps your back from tightening up
  • Look ahead – exercise for your eyes, strengthen your vision, and reduces the eye strain from screen time.

Integrating the 20-20-20 Rule Into Your Workday

Integrating the 20-20-20 rule into your daily work routine will improve your health, but will also inspire more creativity and productivity. It’s important to step away from your desk or workspace.



Stand up, walk to go to the bathroom, get water or coffee, and when you make it back to your office, you might have just had that spark of ambition to finish a project.

Practice these methods to help you to commit to incorporating the rule in your workday:

  • Set the alarm for every 20 minutes as a reminder to take a break.
  • Look out a window during your 20-second break. Focus on a tree or lamppost across the street, or step outside for fresh air.
  • Anyone who spends the majority of the day sitting, should get up periodically and walk around to prevent back and neck pains, and cramps in your legs.

Final Thoughts

Incorporating both 20-20-20 rules will help improve productivity in your personal and work life.

As it states in the above, there are lots of benefits to your mental and physical health in practicing the 20-20-20 rule.

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