EverydayTried-and-true tip
Two-minute rule: do small tasks immediately
Do any task that takes under two minutes right away instead of adding it to a to-do list.
- Time
- ⏱ sofort, je Aufgabe unter 2 min
- Difficulty
- ◆ easy
How to do it
- Size up each small new task (answering an email, filing a bill, confirming an appointment) right away.
- If it takes under two minutes, do it immediately.
- If it takes longer, schedule it as a normal task.
- Set fixed time slots for small tasks so your focused work isn't constantly interrupted.
Variations
- Adjust the threshold: two minutes is just a guideline. For long stretches of incoming tasks, five or ten minutes can work; when time is tight, use one minute or 30 seconds.
Sources
This is where we found the tip. The badge above shows how well it is backed up.
- todoist.com (opens in a new tab)
If an action will take less than two minutes, it should be done at the moment it’s defined.
Two minutes is in fact just a guideline.
