“I have to study for tomorrow’s class.” or “I have to do my laundry.” Sounds tiring already, doesn’t it? Here’s the solution of how to make it simple.
The author of the “New York Times” bestseller- Atomic Habits James Clear came up with the brilliant idea of the “2- Minute Rule” which helped him stop procrastinating and stick to good habits. He also made it simple to implement the rule by dividing it into two steps:
Step 1: If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now!
This step comes from a book named “Getting things done” by David Allen- who is an author and a productivity consultant. He thinks it’s surprising how we put off the things we could get done in two minutes or less, like tossing the laundry in the washing machine, taking out the garbage, sending an email, etc. If it takes two minutes or less to complete a task, do it now. In addition, according to entrepreneur Steve Olenski, implementing the 2-Minute Rule saves more time than expected. He says implementing this strategy made him one of the most influential content strategists online.
Step 2: When starting a new habit, make sure that it takes less than 120 seconds.
Goals obviously can’t be finished in two minutes, but the first steps can be! For example, if your goal is to read a book every night before going to bed, just set it simply like “read one page” and the rest will follow.
Remember what Sir Isaac Newton said a long time ago? Objects at rest tend to stay at rest and objects in motion tend to stay in motion. This is just as true for human beings as it is for falling apples.
Want to become a good writer? Just write a sentence and you’ll find yourself writing an hour a day.
Want to eat healthier? Start by picking up a piece of fruit, and it will lead you to eat fruit salad every day!
Want to start doing yoga? Just grab your mat.
The problem is starting to see things from their hardest level. For instance, running a marathon is very hard. Running 5K is hard. Walking 10.000 steps is moderately difficult. Walking for ten minutes is easy. Putting your sneakers on is very easy and takes less than two minutes. But doesn’t everything above start from putting your shoes on? The 2-Minute Rule doesn’t help complete all your tasks immediately. However, it makes the process of getting it done easier.
You won't be able to make every day perfectly productive; don’t beat yourself up over it. Instead, refocus your energy and implement these tips. Once you find the sweet spot that works for you, you’ll be amazed at how much more you can get done both in and out of the office.