How 10 Minutes a Week Can Change Your Career

When it comes time to look for a new job or embark on a fresh project, we consult our mental Rolodex and realize that we’ve let distance grow in some key relationships. Most of us have a robust network, but neglect cultivating it the way we should. The urgent tasks in front of us crowd out our sincere intentions to stay in contact.

It can be tempting to make lofty—and unsustainable—goals about weekly lunches or multiple conferences to connect. The reality is that the reason you haven’t stayed in better touch with colleagues is that you’re busy. Such overly ambitious goals are doomed to fail. The good news is that you can build a stronger relationship by just investing a small amount of time each week.

Here’s my simple practice: spend 10 minutes each week reaching out to a colleague you value but haven’t talked with in a while. For me, that usually takes the form of a quick email (which takes well under 10 minutes). Some weeks, I opt to pick up the phone and call, but often it’s easier to connect across schedules with email.

Here are a few tips to help you integrate this practice into your own professional life:

1. Pick a regular time, when it won’t get skipped, such as first thing Thursdays or on your lunch break Wednesdays. Put it in your calendar and task list. Look forward to this opportunity and allow yourself to consider throughout the week who you might reach out to.
2. Keep it simple and manageable. This doesn’t need to be a grand missive. If you send an email that is multiple pages long, it will be onerous for your recipient. Keeping things brief is good for you and those you are reaching out to.
3. Always respond. If someone gets back to you, keep the conversation going as appropriate. I often find that emails volley back three to four times, then reach a natural close until the next time I reach out. I respond to messages immediately when they come in or save them for my scheduled correspondence time.
   

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