Have you ever slowed down enough to experience just how long 2 minutes is? No? Go ahead and check it out...take out your phone or watch and start a timer...no rush. I can wait...
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How was it? Was it longer or shorter than you expected? Of course it's all relative...it depends entirely on what you're doing for those 2 minutes.
This week's productivity tip is one of my favorites. It's crazy simple, immensely powerful, and if you can do it consistently, makes you look like rock star. The idea is simple...
If something takes less than 2 minutes to complete, do it right now.
Don't put it off. Don't add it to your todo list. Don't say you'll get to it later. Go ahead and just do it now.
Why 2-minutes?
According to David Allen in Getting Things Done (a book I encourage everyone to read at least once), "The rationale for the 2-minute rule is that it's more or less the point where it starts taking longer to store and track an item than to deal with it the first time it's in your hands—in other words, it's the efficiency cutoff." So basically, it actually takes you longer to NOT do that thing, than it does to do it... 🤔
Of course that's complete nonsense...avoiding something takes no time at all! But this is a post about being productive...so I assume you're not looking for tips on how to avoid doing things...
No, you're probably here because you want to get more done in your life. So at a minimum, you might try to remember to do this thing. Or you would write it down in your To-Do list to do later.
So let me ask...if you didn't do that thing right now, how much time would you spend not doing it?
How many times throughout a single day would you pause to think about all the things you need to do, and remember this thing. How many seconds each day would you spend getting out your To-Do list, going over each item, deciding which one you're going to do next. All that time adds up...not to mention the time lost from all that context switching...but that's a whole other topic. And don't forget to add in the mental effort it takes to consider the item, think about what you have to do with it, and then making a decision to do it, or not to do it (that, my good friend, is the real question). All in all, I personally would agree that I would spend about 2 minutes...
Okay, so you're convinced right? Maybe a little? No? Perhaps a few examples might help sway you.
So what are some things you can do in just 2 minutes?
- Take out the trash
- Wipe down the counters in the kitchen
- Send an email
- Text your partner that you like their butt
- Load the washing machine
- Stand up and stretch at your desk
- Do 20 pushups, sit ups or lunges
- Write down that idea before you forget it
- Refill the printer with paper
I could go on...but I think you get the point. But if you don't believe me, go time yourself doing a few of these things. I bet you'll find that almost all of them can be completed in less than 2 minutes.
Most people underestimate how long 2 minutes actually is, and frequently overestimate how long some actions take! I mean just look at that list above. How many of those would you have instinctively assumed would take more than 2 minutes?
So this week, I challenge you, even just for one single day, to follow the 2-Minute Rule. Give it a try. Anytime something comes up you need to do, if it would take you less than 2 minutes to complete, just do it. Don't shove it off for some bigger task. You'll be amazed at how much you're able to get accomplish!
And don't just keep it to yourself! I absolutely want to hear about the things you discover you're able to get done in just 2 minutes!
Now go get some sh*t done!
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