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How to Stop Procrastinating by Using the '2-Minute Rule'
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The Reasoning Behind The 2–Minute Rule
The 2–Minute Rule overcomes procrastination by automating the decision-making process, making it so easy to start taking action that you can’t say no.
It consists of breaking down tasks into chunks that can be completed into 2 minutes and deciding to do immediately any tasks that fit into this timeframe. Obviously, many goals take more than 2 minutes, but following this rule allows you to kickstart a habit and slowly add on to it, making it less likely that you will give up.
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The 2 Steps Of The 2-Minute Rule
- If it takes less than 2 minutes, then do it now.
- When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.
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Habits And The 2–Minute Rule
The 2–Minute Rule allows you to develop a process of consistently taking action, regardless of goal achievement. The focus is on taking action and letting things flow from there.
The 2–Minute Rule works for big and small goals because of the inertia of life. Once you start doing something, it’s easier to continue doing it. And beginning is the hardest part of a new habit — not just the first time, but each time.
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If the 2-Minute Rule feels forced to you
... try this: do something you want to make into a habit for 2 minutes and then stop. And keep repeating.
This reinforces the identity you want to build and, eventually, you will feel ...
Why The 2-Minute Rule Works
The point is not to do one thing, but to master the habit of showing up. A habit must be established before it can be improved.
Mastering the art of showing up, the first 2 minutes become a ritual at the beginning of a larger routine. This is the ideal way to master a difficult skill. The more you ritualize the beginning of a process, the more likely it becomes that you can slip into the state of deep focus that is required to do great things.
Stop Procrastinating With the “2-Minute Rule”
The Rule states “When you start a new habit, it should take less than 2 minutes to do.” So break down your habits into tasks that can be accomplished within 2 minutes.
The idea is to make your habits as easy as possible to start. Making a task from a habit short makes it feel less like a challenge and it works as a “gateway habit” that leads you down a more productive path.
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The Danger Of The 2—Minute Rule
It’s easy to loose track of time after starting a 2-minute task. Although it’s a good thing that you can immerse yourself in a task that you had to use the 2-minute rule to begin with, losing tr...
The Benefits Of The 2-Minute Rule
- If you're trying to build new habits and skills, making every step of the way an easily achievable 2-minute chunk, will make you more likely to do it over and over again.
- The 2–Minute Rule works for big goals as well as small goals because of the inertia of life. Once you start doing something, it’s easier to continue doing it. It also teaches you to get to the point of getting things done.
The 2-Minute Rule
- If you can do it in less than two minutes, do it now (assuming you have no other, bigger priorities at the moment.)
- When you start a new habit, make your goals into 2-minute bites, so they're easy to do any time.
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Why we procrastinate
Procrastination is more about our emotions than our tendencies for laziness or just being “bad at deadlines”. At its core, we procrastinate to keep ourselves happy in the moment.
...How to overcome your procrastination habit
We have two ways of dealing with our procrastination:
- Make whatever we’re procrastinating on feel less uncomfortable, and
- Convince our present selves into caring about our future selves.
Make getting started ridiculously easy
Often starting a task is the biggest hurdle. Research shows that progress—no matter how small—can be a huge motivator to help us keep going.
Set the timer for just 5 or 10 minutes. While the timer’s running, you don’t have to work, but you can’t do anything else. You have to sit with your work, even if you don’t get started.