Welcome, I’m glad you’re here! Given that this piece is on productivity, let’s get straight to the point!
One of the most powerful unlocks in the world of productivity is the 2-minute rule. The rule states “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.” I first came across this idea in James Clear’s writings. I’ll talk about him in a minute, but let’s explore this rule a bit more here.
It can be broken down into these steps:
Identify the main goal / action (e.g., write a book, learn Spanish, etc.)
Break it down into the most basic actionable step; this step should ideally be something that can be completed in less than 2 minutes; something that requires very little willpower to execute (e.g., write one sentence, or open the laptop, learn one new Spanish word )
Implement / execute the chosen step for 2 minutes
Let the power of friction take over, and watch the magic happen :)
Let’s run through an example. Consider the lofty goal of completing a marathon. This could be broken down into trying to run a 5K, which can then be reduced to trying to hit 10,000 steps a day, all the way to the simple act of putting on your running shoes.
Putting on your running shoes every single day is a simple enough act. May be on day 1, you barely walk for two minutes. The key is to repeat this on day 2. Repeat what? Repeat the act of just putting on your shoes, forget about how long you need to walk, or 10,000 steps or the 5K. Focus on the simplest action and get started!
Just the act of showing up, will get you going. It creates momentum. Once you’ve overcome that early friction, friction suddenly becomes your friend. It will, in fact, be harder for you to stop at that point, than to continue.
Friction is the most powerful force in the universe - Ali Abdaal
Energizer of the week
An article/pod/video that energized me this week
Here’s a video that really engaged and motivated me this week. In this truly entertaining, and wildly famous TED Talk, Inside the mind of a master procrastinator, Tim Urban talks about how procrastination makes us not just cram for projects and deadlines, but makes us feel like spectators in our own lives. Bookmark the link to this video and watch it when you get a chance. Well, what I really wanted to tell you, was to drop everything and watch that TED talk right now, before I spotted the irony in that suggestion!
PS: Who is James Clear?
As mentioned earlier, I want to write a bit about James Clear and provide some links I found useful. His writings have influenced me very much. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend his book Atomic Habits. Here is his entire post on the 2-minute rule. If you really want to dig in, and get more into the mind of this deep thinker, here’s a 2-hour long interview with Rich Roll, where he goes into a lot of fun topics.
I’d love to hear your feedback. My intention with this newsletter is to write about topics on personal finance, career, and share useful content that energizes me. I’d love to hear your comments, questions, and suggestions on topics, style of writing, anything really!
Thanks for reading, and stay energized!