My dumb 'two minute rule' for chores actually works

I kept putting off small tasks like wiping counters or sorting mail, so I tried a trick from a nurse named Carla on my shift. She said if something takes less than two minutes, just do it right away, no thinking. I started doing it last month and my apartment in Phoenix has never been cleaner, lol. Anyone else have a silly rule that actually fixed a problem?

3 comments

3 Comments

troy_butler714d ago

That "well, I'm already standing up" rule hits way too close to home. My version is the "I'll do it on my way to the bathroom" rule, which results in me walking past the same pile of mail six times without touching it because my brain is too busy arguing with itself. And then I'll end up standing in the kitchen holding a spoon I forgot why I picked up, staring at the fridge like it owes me money.

stellarivera2mo ago

That "no thinking" part is key. My version is the "well, I'm already standing up" rule, which mostly just means I wander from room to room holding a single dirty cup for twenty minutes.

jake_mason302mo ago

That wandering around with the cup is the brain's way of avoiding the real task. It feels like progress because you're moving, but you're just stuck in a loop. The trick is to make the next action so small that refusing it seems silly. Like, don't think "do the dishes," just think "walk this cup to the sink." Once your hands are in the water, the rest often follows. It's about tricking yourself into starting.