The 2 Minute Rule;

In order to live a happier, less cluttered life, consider the two minute rule from Getting Things Done by David Allen.

The basic principle is that anytime you’re dealing with something, if it can be completed in under two minutes, you do it right away. Otherwise, store it somewhere or delegate it.

Can you reply to that email in under two minutes? Yes? Reply right away and move on.

Can you research the cheapest flight for your next trip in under two minutes? Probably not. So store it on your to-do list somewhere.

Generally, things that require less than 2 minutes of your time shouldn’t be on your to-do list. Avoid putting them on there. This will prevent your list going from here to Tokyo.

When you see a long list, you get analysis paralysis. “Oh no I have so much stuff to do I don’t know where to begin!”

We’ve all been there.

That’s why the 2 minute rule is so powerful. It prevents that from happening and from cluttering your lists.

The next time something comes your way, apply the 2 minute rule. Can you do it in under 2 minutes? If so, do it right way.

Otherwise, deal with it later and move on.