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Writer's pictureMadelyn Hamilton

COVID-19: Time Hack


The hardest part of doing something new is getting started.

No doubt, during eight weeks of social distancing and isolation, you gave yourself a long list of things you wanted to do. As life begins to reopen you may be chiding yourself for not having started your list.

Productivity guru David Allen coined the term the “Two-Minute Rule” if you can do anything in two minutes or less, do it now.

The beautiful thing about this life-hack is that it frees our mind of clutter. Often the little tasks or jobs are things we say we will do “later” - in the future where we will have more time. But the self-punishing truth is we never get to the future point.

The Two-Minute Rule grounds us in the present.

Author James Clear has adapted this rule. In expanding this concept, he says if you want to complete an activity, focus on the first two minutes of getting started, which is usually the most challenging part.

If you want to write a book, start writing a few lines; if you want to exercise, gather your gear and head out the door; if you want to mediate, find your quiet place and begin; if you want to learn another language, open Duolingo and start. Simply do two-minutes. You can stop after that. Here is the cool truth – once you are ready, you will usually engage in the activity.

The concept is simply committing to two minutes instead of an hour, thus removing the “time” friction.

Oh, yeah… please take two minutes and let me know how it works out.



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