It’s that time of the year again. Extra tasks brought on by the holiday season and a hyped up level of busyness means that things are starting to pile up: in the kitchen, in my email, on my task list. It feels like I am about to be covered in an avalanche of undone stuff. But what if the secret to getting rid of those piles isn’t a massive system, but a two-minute habit? Enter the two-minute rule: if it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now.
Origin of the Two-Minute Rule
The two-minute rule was first introduced to the wide world in Getting Things Done* by David Allen. The theory behind it prevents small tasks from getting stuck in a system when it would be faster to complete them. It reduces decision fatigue as well: when you are only looking at 5 emails, you will get through them much faster than 50, especially if you don’t have to rethink the 45 you’ve been ignoring.
There is also a psychological reason to apply the two-minute rule: when you complete a task, you are going to get the hit of serotonin, making an instant gratification loop that will fuel your momentum. That will lead to more tasks being done…and the cycle goes on.
Why It Gets Overlooked
The two-minute rule often gets dismissed because it seems too simple to work. I know I have also dismissed it as being only for things like getting through my email inbox. But this ignores the big punch that this rule has.
Most productivity systems focus on the big picture: plan your year, quarter, month, week and day. But it’s the little things that you do minute by minute that determine how those plans get implemented.
And of course, there is always the bias toward bigger project work. It seems much better to say “I finished project X” instead of “I took care of the backlog of correspondence with the vendors”.
When I use the two-minute rule, I am amazed (still after all these years) of how much stuff gets cleared out of the way.
Practical Applications
Here are some ways that the two-minute rule can shine:
- Email. Scan your inbox looking for things that can be archived, deleted, or need a quick reply. Once you are done with that you can work on the items that need more effort.
- Kitchen. When you are waiting for something to heat up, use the time to put dishes in the dishwasher, wipe a counter or toss junk mail.
- Desk. Process all papers on your desk, putting aside a pile for filing. Delete what you can, and those things that need action, put in another pile. Spend two minutes filing and then process the pile that needs action using the rule.
Potential Pitfalls and How To Avoid Them
The two-minute rule isn’t for everything. It is for quickly getting through a lot of little tasks. It’s powerful as long as it isn’t misused.
- Use a timer. Two minutes seems both longer and shorter than I ever knew. Setting a timer allows me to see if I am being pulled down a rabbit hole. If the timer goes off, I refocus back on clearing out the low hanging fruit.
- Process low-value information. Reserve the two-minute rule for low-value actions like getting through email or putting things away. Don’t try to apply it to project work that needs thought and deliberation.
In Conclusion
If you have never used the two-minute rule, I am challenging you to do it on your email for 7 days. If you have used the two-minute rule and have fallen out of the habit, I issue the same challenge: do it on your email for 7 days. If you want, email me the number of emails cleared.
Remember, small actions lead to big results. Your productivity reboot starts in two minutes.
