A quick look at the 2-minute rule
2023-09-07
Even though I have countless ideas for articles in my head right now and you have the right to demand a proper article, I only want to share a quick look at a very simple idea with you this week. The primary reason for this is that despite its simplicity it is amazingly effective and therefore truely deserves this space. I'm talking about the so-called 2-minute rule...
It simply says:
If you think about doing something and know that it'll only take two minutes or less, just tackle it right now.
Following it has three major advantages:
- It stops procrastination before it even has a chance to start.
- It gives you a bit of a dopamine kick by finishing off a task relatively easily, which can be a much needed mood booster.
- It keeps your task list within a managable length by preventing small things to even enter it.
Additionally, it can serve as a stepping stone for you to accomplish larger tasks, since it gets you to work and it's generally way easier to keep working than to start from the get-go. However, nothing is perfect and so isn't this rule, as it prioritizes small things rather than your most important tasks and can therefore "waste" energy you might need for bigger projects.
Overall, I would see it more as something for household or everyday chores and not necessarily your demanding job, where keeping focus is much more important. With that in mind, I can't recommend it enough though...