Table of contents:
- If the task takes less than two minutes, do it
- A two-minute start will not allow a serious goal to get lost
2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44
Let's face it: each of us at least once postponed the start of a task to a later date, hiding behind busyness, fatigue or stress. Adopt the simple two-minute rule to make it easier to get started and achieve your goals.
Procrastination can be defined as a psychological state of a person, characterized by a tendency to constantly postpone tasks and actions for later. Let's face it: each of us at least once postponed the start of a task to a later date, hiding behind busyness, fatigue or stress.
In some cases, procrastination may not make a big difference in your life. But if it becomes chronic, then it's time to expect financial troubles, deterioration in relationships with colleagues or loved ones and nervous shocks.
Most of the tasks you drag out are actually simple. You have enough skill and talent to do them, but you just avoid them for one reason or another.
The two minute rule has a couple of parts and helps you overcome laziness. Go deep into it, and you will not be able to say no to the goal.
If the task takes less than two minutes, do it
This idea is widely known from David Allen's bestselling book How to Get Things Done. The art of stress-free productivity”.
Think how many things we keep putting off fit in two minutes or less. For example, it is not at all difficult to wash several plates right after a meal without waiting for the sink to overflow. Daily short-term cleaning of the house will help avoid lengthy clearing of debris at the end of the week.
Did you see your birthday reminder? Congratulate with a call or message right now. Tomorrow there will be no shame about the forgotten birthday boy.
A two-minute start will not allow a serious goal to get lost
Of course, not all of your plans can be completed in two minutes. But each target can be launched in two minutes or less. Why start if I don't finish anyway? The second part of the rule gives the answer.
Everything lies in the normal course of the processes of our life. It is well known from the physics course that the body remains at rest until it is set in motion. The rule applies to humans as well. Once you start doing something, it will be much easier to continue.
Examples from life. You decided to pop into the fridge and grab a sandwich, but ended up eating a week's supply of food. Or a more useful situation. You opened the Lifehacker's page to quickly read an interesting article, and in the end spent an hour and became enriched with new knowledge.
I like the two-minute rule because it makes it easier to develop a variety of good habits.
Want to make reading a habit? Master the first few pages in two minutes. You won't notice the chapters fly by. Do you want to start playing sports? Do some push-ups. It will be easier for you to do the exercises the next time. Do you want to eat healthy? Eat an apple. Tomorrow you will want to make a fruit and vegetable salad.
New good habits start small, from those very few minutes. The two minute rule does not guarantee you will achieve results, but it will do everything to get you started. With it, you will not be tormented by ignorance.
Believe me, personally, it's always hard for me to start writing articles for Lifehacker. And this material is no exception.
This is due not only to Friday's laziness and excellent weather outside the window, but also to fear for the final result. Will I be able to correctly convey the idea to the reader? Wouldn't I be ashamed of my work? There is only one way out - put your fingers on the keyboard and type an introductory paragraph. As a rule, after this small step, the process develops rapidly and brings a positive result.
Two minutes can and should be considered 120 seconds. More breeds more!
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