The Two Minutes or Less Rule

Photo captured from my home office in California.

“If an action will take less than two minutes, it should be done at the moment it's defined,” (David Allen).

I first learned about the empowering "two minutes or less" rule from David Allen's book "Getting Things Done,"—a book I'd highly recommend for anyone looking for an effective system to boost productivity while minimizing stress.

The "two minutes or less" rule is a tool to conquer procrastination. Simply put, if it takes less than two minutes, do it now.

Abiding by this principle creates motivation to stay on top of virtual clutter (i.e. answering emails and messages swiftly) and mental clutter, as small tasks are checked off efficiently and often rather effortlessly. It can even reduce physical clutter, by incentivizing you to put things away in your home or office throughout the day. (If you're anything like me, I personally find it hard to focus when I'm surrounded by clutter).

So if you haven't tried it yet, give it a whirl! I don't mean to be cliche, but I think the "two minutes or less" rule might change your life (at least a little). :)