Use the 2 Minute Rule to Stop Procrastinating

Even if you’re overwhelmed with upcoming tasks, there’s an easy way to complete a few of them to build momentum. This is called the “two minute rule” and it can help you be more productive at school, at work, and at home.

What is the two minute rule?

The two-minute rule belongs to David Allen, author of Getting Things in Order . The idea is simple: if you can do something in two minutes, just do it. Do not think about it. Don’t think it’s more or less important than the heavy lifts you have to do. If it takes two minutes or less, just do it right now .

Running tasks when they are small prevents them from turning into larger projects that take more than two minutes. For example, it will take you less than two minutes to wash the dishes after one meal. If you let them build up every time you eat, it will take longer when you finally have to, and you’re more likely to procrastinate knowing it’s going to suck.

Crossing a bunch of small tasks off your to-do list will give you momentum: when you take care of a few smaller responsibilities, you’ll likely feel more capable of diving into deeper work. This method is similar to the idea of ​​”eating the frog”, although there are notable differences: when you practice ” eating the frog “, you first get rid of your biggest responsibility; when you use the two minute rule, you do the opposite. Which you choose depends on the type of job you have and your personal preferences, but both lead to a sense of accomplishment that can help you get through the rest of your workload.

How to Use the Two Minute Rule Effectively

Unlike eating a frog, the two-minute rule doesn’t mean you have to complete your task as soon as you wake up. Rather, it encourages you to complete any simple task the moment it occurs to you. Think about the things that make you procrastinate on a typical day. For me, it’s replies to emails: I see emails coming in, but I don’t reply right away, although it would take me a few seconds. Finally, I have to answer, but with the added weight of remorse in my untimely response, in addition to what the original post was about. Using the two-minute rule helps me not to hang over my head for the whole day with such a trivial task. This may seem like work at the moment, but it helps prevent larger projects later.