Two-minute rule
Scale any new habit down until it takes under two minutes to start
Shrink the habit you want until the entry point is trivially small: "read before bed" becomes "read one page", "go to the gym" becomes "put on your shoes". You are training up the act of showing up rather than the outcome, on the theory that a habit you never start cannot be optimized. Once it is automatic, you scale it back up.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Ali AbdaalRecommends
Doctor turned YouTuber · author of Feel-Good Productivity
If a task takes under two minutes it happens straight away, the do-it-now version of the two-minute rule, which keeps his desk clear.
Source: aliabdaal.com: how to stay focused and not get distracted - James ClearRecommends
Author · Atomic Habits
Advises scaling any new habit down to under two minutes, so you are practicing showing up rather than performing.
Source: jamesclear.com: how to stop procrastinating
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