Simple yet potent, this rule is a defense against procrastination and letting the small things in work and life add up. Following this guideline can spring us into action, completing tasks quickly instead of leaving them forever undone.

Often it’s small tasks that pile up on our to-do lists, fill us with dread, and eventually, feel insurmountable. So here are two ways to apply the two-minute rule. 👉 

Completing quick tasks

It’s not always time-consuming to-dos and enormous projects that induce stress. What could be a quick task we complete the right way becomes a point of procrastination, and tiny to-do can take on a life of its own in our minds.

To avoid this phenomenon, tackle tasks as soon as they arise or shortly after that to avoid them building up in the first place. You can apply the two-minute rule to any number of the random and unconnected tasks that come up throughout your day –– from taking out the garbage to sorting through the mail.

That’s where the two-minute rule comes in. You can break down any big task or large project into quick bites that allow you to get started, sustain momentum, and complete an overwhelming task two minutes at a time.

Advantages of the two-minute rule

No system, no problem!

There’s no complex workflow,4×4 grid, or inbox with the two-minute rule to input your tasks. Instead, it’s simple and straightforward: do the quick task quickly. This rule is easy to follow and can be implemented immediately for anyone tired of process and procedure.

It prevents procrastination before it starts.

Escape the trap of procrastination by avoiding it in the first place. Instead of adding a task to a list and finding time to complete it in the near or distant future to complete it, act in the present. You can avoid the initial paralysis you may feel before starting, and simply get going on a small part.

It creates momentum through tiny wins.

When you employ the two-minute rule to complete just one small task, it often generates a sense of accomplishment that propels you towards the next task. Action begets more action, and the two-minute rule can be the catalyst we need to check off a chain of small tasks that amount to much more. 

It builds a bias towards action.

Following the two-minute rule builds a habit of attacking tasks head-on rather than letting them languish on your list. Moving through tasks with speed and efficiency can become embedded in your identity and become a point of pride. 

Naturally, you’ll still procrastinate from time to time.

However, those periods of procrastination will become fewer and farther in between as the satisfaction of action builds.