Here’s a very simple productivity concept for you.
The 2 minute concept, which I will explain in a sec, forms the cornerstone of GTD (getting things done) and many other productivity systems. You don’t need to be into productivity or GTD to make use of this though. Its a very lightweight method that you can implement right now.
If a task will take less than 2 minutes to complete, do it now.
Thats it. You can stop reading now…
How many 2 minute tasks do you put off in one day? If you haven’t made a mental note of these tasks before now, you probably won’t realise just how many get delayed and forgotten.
So what’s the benefit of tackling these tasks right away, instead of shelving them on your to-do list?
Motivation
Personally (am I’m sure I’m not alone) I feel a small sense of achievement when I’ve completed a task, no matter how big or small. Its this motivation which often drives me to complete larger tasks and goals throughout the day. Putting off a task, even by writing it down on a to-do list, won’t result in that same motivational boost. Why not start tricking your brain into doing some work?
Free Your Memory
I’m really into spewing my thoughts onto a series of notes, lists, sketches, apps and paper. I try and get as much of the confusing mess in my head down onto paper, in the hope I can organize it later on. “2 Minute Tasks”, are a waste of memory. It’s such a small time cost to complete the task with the reward being one less thing to worry about.
Its All About Habits
In order for this to work, you need to get into the habit of doing a rough estimate of how long a task should take. If you can’t work this out in an instant, the tasks you are tackling are too big. Spew these big tasks down onto paper, break them down into smaller portions and then re-analyse. Whenever a new task pops up, make the call as to whether its going to take longer than 2 minutes or not. Less than 2 minutes = do it now. Greater than 2 minutes = to do list.
If you’re into minimalist productivity (if that term doesn’t yet exist, its mine 
) than this is such a simple and easy thing to implement.
Let me know if you’re using this already.
P.S – I’ve added a new community news section in the sidebar on the right. Feel free to add your posts, or others you think may be of interest to readers. And hey you might get 1 or 2 new visitors out of it!
Photo By – badboy69
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice post Anthony. This is a common technique in gtd and as you mentioned really easy to implement.
You know, this is one of those little lifehacks I just keep on using. It’s so damn simple that it just works. Postponing all those little tasks lets the accumulate into huge collections of energy draining thoughts of things you still need to do.
The only downside is that if you’re doing something important and you stop for two minutes to do some small task that it can be distracting. Other than that, it’s brilliant in it’s simplicity. And indeed it gives a small sense of achievement that you just finished a task. In much the same way as ticking something from your to-do list is so very fulfilling.
I’d like to share a small trick I learned from fellow blogger Carl Nelson (Drop of Change) the 3.2.1. trick for doing stuff:
Think of something you need to be doing right now
Count down.. 3… 2.. 1.
Now GO DO IT!
Again, brilliant in it’s simplicity but these two together get a lot of things done around here.
Greets, Christiaan
.-= ChrisitaanH – Mind the Beginner´s last blog ..The Rule of 7 and Effective Writing =-.
I like the 3,2,1 idea. Simple things work! Productivity shouldn’t be complicated.
And thanks fro stopping by Chrisitaan, hope to see you around here again!
This is pretty good. Not only are you putting off putting off doing something because it’s so fast to do but you’re actually getting a lot more done because there’s a lot of little things that can be done during the day in 2 minutes.
Good thought here… Will remember this one.
.-= Eric´s last blog ..Lets Help Each Other =-.
Too true. I find that the two minute rule is great for stuff done at your desk: emails, bank payments, phone calls.
Around the house, though, where a lot of my crap tends to accumulate, I stick to an “eight-minute rule”. Stuff like loading the dishwasher, hanging laundry, shining shoes, taking out garbage.
A lot of this stuff takes less than eight minutes. But if it takes more, it gets put off.
… or I pay somebody to come and take care of it …
.-= Matt at How To Get A Grip´s last blog ..Get rid of some stuff =-.