The 2 Minute Rule - My #1 Productivity Tip
Stop Procrastinating With This Simple (But Effective) Technique!
A game changing practice I apply every single day, both personally and with my clients, is a small but mighty technique called the 2 minute rule and you 100% need this in your business and life!
The concept is super easy - if something can be done in 2 minutes or less, do it right then and there. Don’t put it off until “later” because inevitably later comes! With a “later” mentality, you end up with 10 other things you’ve put off until “later” and now you feel overwhelmed by all the things on your plate and don’t feel like doing any of it.
Yes, I know it sounds almost too simple to actually have a real effect — but trust me, if you can create a habit around this practice, it will rock your productivity and time management world!
I’m living proof, and so are many of my clients who now swear by it (not to mention it’s used by productivity guru and creator of the “Getting Things Done” method, David Allen).
The 2 Minute Rule Is The Perfect Technique For An Overwhelming Inbox
I especially LOVE using this practice when it comes to emails. Being a recovering perfectionist, I would sit and ruminate over my emails for way too long, days even!
I would over analyze and over think, read and re-read my responses over and over again, and wordsmith it to death before finally hitting send.
Now, I literally say to myself, “Liz, try to respond to this in 2-minutes or less.” I type up what I want to say, read through it once or twice, edit as needed, and hit the damn send button, and move on to the 10 other things I need to do.
This doesn’t work for all emails of course. Some will take more time, thought, and need to be carefully crafted. But I’ve found that the majority of emails only require a simple quick response. No need to let them sit in my inbox for days/weeks. I reply swiftly, move or delete the email, and move the hell on (yes, I’m that person with ZERO unopened emails in my inbox every day for the last 12 years). And it’s THIS method that’s let that happen for me.
Here’s Some Other Examples Of How I’ve Used The 2 Minute Rule:
Replied to numerous emails
Set up Zooms and sent calendar invites
Posted on social media
Put dishes in my sink into the dishwasher
Put away a load of laundry
Cut up fresh fruit so I have a quick healthy snack to grab throughout the day
Made a doctor’s appointment
Keep in mind this is great for ALL the little things that get thrown at you throughout the day. It applies to both life and business activities. All of the above were unexpected and weren’t already scheduled in my calendar, but with the 2 minute method, I was able to cross these things off my list AND still stick to my schedule.
Using this 2-minute technique is a powerful productivity tool because it:
Eliminates procrastinating and ultimately lightens our load
Reduces anxiety due to a growing things-to-do list
Rooted in ACTION and keep us moving forward
Forces us to focus on done over perfect, and progress over perfection
So… what’s one thing you can do right now in 2-minutes or less?
Give it a try!
Disclaimer: if you’ve time blocked in your calendar to work on a specific project or you need dedicated focused attention on something, then don’t use the 2-minute! Be careful not to use it as a procrastination tool when you should be working on other things.
