8 tasks you can accomplish in 30 minutes or less

Today’s world is hurtling along at a rapid pace thanks to technology. Tasks that once upon a time could’ve eaten into our day are now complete in a flash, and all streamlined by our mobile devices. So why are we still waiting too long for our devices to charge? 

OnePlus is the next generation Android smartphone that is about to change the game. Your OnePlus device can charge to 60% – which will last you the whole day – in 30 minutes, a feat unheard of on the smartphone scene.   

While the techies behind the scenes are working on ensuring our devices take less time to reach their full charge, other tricky tasks on our to-do lists have been revolutionised before our eyes. Thirty minutes – that’s 1800 seconds to be exact – now holds infinite potential in our digital lives, whereas once it was just the beginning timeframe for a longer task. No longer is “I don’t have time for that” an excuse; set your timer and get to work on freeing up your day with the help of a 30-minute organisation boost.   

So what could you be accomplishing while your OnePlus device is going from zero to hero? Take back your day by streamlining these tasks.   

1. Reclaim your mealtimes 

Today’s young professionals barely have time to squeeze eating into their day. The thought of actually preparing and cooking a meal is alien to many Millennials. Why not try out a subscription service like HelloFresh, where your groceries are shipped directly to your door, complete with instructions on how to prepare exciting new recipes. It’s fresh, it’s fast and it’s economically sourced – something that’s important to today’s environmentally conscious social citizens. Don’t forget: If investing time in food prep is not an option for you, delivery services likeDeliveroo will bring dinner to your door in 40 minutes or less. By the time you hear the doorbell go your OnePlus smartphone will be nearing its full charge!   

2. Workout 

The dreaded workout. You know you should be doing it, you actually probably want to do it but the thought of putting any time into it is daunting. But what if your workout could be condensed into a nice manageable 30-minute session?   

Short, intense workouts have been shown to do much more good for us than those lengthy gym sessions we love to loathe. Keep track of your efforts with MapMyRun, a handy app that allows you to map out your running route, connect with friends and track your fitness progress all in the same place. You can check out some of London’s most popular routes over on the MapMyRun website.   

For the completely uninitiated, why not give Couch to 5K a go? Getting out and about around London will give you plenty of distractions – how about looping around Hyde Park, or running from the iconic Tower Bridge to Westminster? Wherever you decide to take the workout party, be sure it has a good backing track. Why not put together 30 minutes of your favourite party tunes – or even use Spotify’s Run Your Way playlist creator, which matches the music to the beat of your footsteps? Dance on!   

3. Watch an episode of your favorite programme 

Fan favourite TV shows such as Silicon Valley, Family Guy and the hilarious hit Brooklyn Nine-Nine will fit into a 30 minute time-slot easily, or you could keep things British with a short burst ofI’m Alan Partridge or Fawlty Towers to provide some light relief on your commute to work. If you’re watching on a OnePlus 3, the AMOLED screen will provide a crisp, high-quality picture that takes commute viewing to an unprecedented level.   

4. Do some gaming 

In 30 minutes you can fit in 30 attempts at that impossible Candy Crush Saga level you’ve been trying to beat for the past three weeks – if you’re willing to keep restocking your “lives,” of course. And if you’re plugged into a Dash Charge charger, there will be no performance drop[1]  on higher-end titles like Asphalt 8: Airborne, Modern Combat 5: Blackout or Pokemon GO as you simultaneously game and keep your mobile’s battery juiced.   

5. Catch up on news and current events 

You don’t even need to reach for that clunky newspaper in the digital age — especially not when you’re balancing your coffee and your smartphone on your commute. Consolidating your daily fix of entertainment and news takes no time at all, and you could be clued up on everything from finance to football in less than half an hour with the help of email services like The Skimm. Simply let the site know what news you’re interested in and they’ll deliver it right to your inbox, every day. A quick skim to catch up on what’s new and you’ll be free for the rest of the day to clear those other tasks in your to-do list.   

6. Streamline your to-do list 

It’s important that you know just what you expect to achieve in the coming week, but that doesn’t mean you have to do battle with Post-it note reminders and scraps of paper littering your desk. Make one simple to-do list and work through it from the top to the bottom. Make sure your OnePlus device is stocked up with the Google Keep app or long-standing Remember the Milk – which will store and manage your to-do list for you, freeing up your mind to concentrate on those all-important tasks! Thirty minutes at the beginning of each week spent making sure you have everything expected of you in one easy-to-access place (like your smartphone) will save you valuable time in working from several lists at once and creating makeshift notes on the go.   

7. Take a road-trip 

The OnePlus 3 also has a Dash Charge Car Charger, meaning you can plug in your device and refill its juice while on the road. For some of us that could maximise our time spent commuting – charging your smartphone while en route to the office will give it enough charge to power the rest of your day. Don’t commute in the car? Take a road trip over the weekend, plugging in your device while exploring your local area.   

8. Be mindful 

Recharge your body and mind while your smartphone is doing some recharging of its own. Meditation has been proven to increase your attention span, improve your immune system and metabolism, increase brain function and allow you to get that good night’s sleep you’ve been promising yourself for a while.   

Mindfulness, although a new term, is one that has Millennials everywhere taking time out to focus on their mental health. Giving yourself just 30 minutes to focus on clearing your mind – and forgetting that hectic schedule – will leave you relaxed and energised when you do have to face the day. Apps such as The Mindfulness App and Headspace are designed to ease you into the practise of meditation in short sessions, so put your phone on charge and recharge your own batteries while you wait.   

The above are just a few of the many things you can do in the 30 minutes it takes to charge your phone – and while half an hour is a short span of time in the grand scheme of things, it present plenty of opportunity for productivity and entertainment.