TGIF! I am enjoying the mountains of North Carolina spending time with family. Tomorrow is football at Western Carolina and tailgating with the Stray Cats. It has been a long time since I unplugged and I desperately needed it.
Today’s blog is a great tip from Barbara of Simplify Days. This is a tip you can use in your business or in your personal life. This is a tip that is easy to teach your kids so they can learn time management early.
I don’t know about you but my week is usually full of trying to pull off the most simple tasks in a short amount of time. From changing a light bulb to responding to an email to sorting mail, a load of laundry or loading the dishwasher. Some tasks just seem to sit and sit. My one touch system for paper didn’t seem to work as well for projects…….
So, why not try the 2-minute rule?
The 2-minute rule comes from the widely recognized leading expert on personal and organizational productivity, David Allen. David is the author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity.
The 2-minute rule is simple to follow and can make a huge difference in day-to-day life.
Here’s the rule: if a task will take 2-minutes or less DO IT RIGHT NOW. I am a list person and tries to make a plan. The problem is that I spend way too much time in the planning mode. The 2-minute rule kicks me into gear and helps me knock out those simple tasks. Instead of writing things down to complete later, the 2-minute rule helps me actually get things done instead of just written down.
No, I have to admit, I do push it to a 5-minute rule…. WHY? Because even the simplest emails take a few minutes to write. I know I can’t change a light-bulb in 2-minutes. I work really hard to complete right then if it will only take just a few short minutes !
I started doing this before we left on vacation and I was amazed at how much I got done. Instead of making a list and then crossing things off…I had a completed list which made me feel AWESOME!
I challenge you this week-end to try out the 2 (sometimes 5) – minute rule and see how it works for you. If a task will take less than 5 minutes DO IT. If you are planning out your week and remember a task that will take less than 5 minutes DO IT. An email comes through, you can quickly respond to, DO IT RIGHT THEN.
I have to be honest, I was skeptical. You will be surprised at how much you’ll able to get done and how often the simple act of getting started with a short task will keep you moving through a productive day.
I can’t wait to hear what you think….
Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!
Hope Wissel 