The Two Minute Rule

I experiment with productivity techniques and tools a fair amount because I'm always wanting to squeeze more into my day without sacrificing sanity time. The most productive of them all? The two minute rule.

It's very simple: if a task will take two minutes or less to complete, just do it on the spot, even if other pressing tasks are at hand. It's one less thing to track, one less thing to worry about, and one less thing that may hold up another task down the road.

I was introduced to David Allen's two minute rule in his best seller Getting Things Done and have had great results. While I've struggled to implement the rest of his system consistently, I've managed to use the two minute rule on a daily basis with no problem for several years now. It's stupidly simple, which is perfect for me.

Spending two minutes to make a problem go away gives me instant gratification and helps clear my head of loose ends I have to think about all the time.

Often times it's the small things that make me worry the most, so checking them off the list is a beautiful thing. In actuality, they never even have to be put on the list in the first place because they're handled on the spot.

Give it a try. Fight the instinct to put it on a list. If it takes two minutes or less, just Get Shit Done.