Two-Minute Shift

A simple rule to clear your mind and your to-do list.

Stop putting it off. If it takes less than two minutes, do it now.

In Getting Things Done, David Allen popularized the Two-Minute Rule:
If a task will take less than two minutes to complete, do it immediately.

For me this morning, I completed several:
- write a thank you card
- write a birthday card
- send an email
- review a resume
- copy my notes to a shared document

Those small tasks could have waited a few more days. But small tasks left undone clutter our to-do list and our mind.

Small tasks completed right away keep momentum moving and free up mental space for the bigger things. In just 10 minutes, I crossed off five items I no longer had to think about.

It’s simple. It’s fast. And over time, those tiny wins add up.