One of the main reason for our inefficiency and ineffectiveness is our habit for Procrastination. We tends to put a task on-hold or avoid starting them for one reason or another.
STOP PROCRASTINATING
People tends to procrastinate on task that aren't difficult to do, we tend to delay it for different reasons — this can be a simple email, washing the dishes, making our bed. We tend to think that there are more urgent and important tasks to do so we can just do this small tasks later.
The 2 Minute-Rule
I will share to you an effective habit to start you with a good habit to improve yourself. The 2 Minute-Rule is something that I got from James Clear on his "Decision Making, Goal Setting, Procrastination, Productivity" blogs. It has 2 main parts.
Part 1 — If it takes less than two minutes, then do it now.
As discussed earlier, most of us tends to delay the easy tasks such as washing the dishes after a meal, making our bed as we woke up, taking out the garbage, sending that email, cleaning up clutter, etc.
Based on the Time Management Matrix of Stephen Covey (see diagram below), our time is being consumed by finishing those tasks in quadrant 1: THE URGENT AND IMPORTANT MATTERS, this are the things that need to be dealt with immediately, however, this is not efficient. To be efficient, you need to focus on quadrant 2: The important but not urgent matters.
Finishing things that are important but not urgent can free up your time in making sure that this items will not become an urgent matter in a near future.
So have a less stressful life in always dealing with urgent matters, keep this in mind: If a task takes less than two minutes to complete, then follow the rule and do it right now.
Part 2 — Start in 2 minutes
Based on Sir Isaac Newton's Law of Inertia, Objects at rest tend to stay at rest and Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. This is just as true for humans as it is for falling apples.
As the law of inertia can also be applied in our life, thus, the 2 minute rule can also works for bigger tasks/goals as it embrace the idea that all sorts of good things happen once you get started.
Want to become a good writer? Just write one sentence (2 Minute-Rule), and you'll often find yourself writing for an hour.
Want to start a habit for jogging/exercise? Start by just getting your running shoes on and get out of the door (2 Minute-Rule), and you'll end up putting mileage on your legs instead of popcorn in your stomach.
Important Key
- The most important key is to get started, if you set a goal, then make sure to act on it and get started — not just the first time, but each time.
- Make sure to finish tasks that are less than 2 minutes, focus on the quadrant 2, finishing the tasks that are important and not urgent will make you more efficient and effective as a person.