Something I saw on /r/lifeprotips that’s resonated with me:
If something will take you less than two minutes to finish, do it now.
The same can be said for five and ten minute chores. Just go ahead and knock it out.. What are you waiting for? If you can think in blocks of time, starting at just two minutes, you’ll be so much more efficient in getting chores done and channeling your focus and attention. Starting an efficient habitual process will typically also extend into other aspects of your life. See here:
Want to become a better writer? Just write one sentence (2–Minute Rule), and you’ll often find yourself writing for an hour.
Want to eat healthier? Just eat one piece of fruit (2–Minute Rule), and you’ll often find yourself inspired to make a healthy salad as well.
Want to make reading a habit? Just read the first page of a new book (2–Minute Rule), and before you know it, the first three chapters have flown by.
Want to run three times a week? Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, just get your running shoes on and get out the door (2–Minute Rule), and you’ll end up putting mileage on your legs instead of popcorn in your stomach.
[via lifehack.org]
Couldn’t agree more, in particular with the eating healthy. I find myself craving fast food and junk after splurging 2–3 meals or days in a row. It becomes habit and luxurious in a way. But if you just have one piece of fruit/vegetable, your whole mindset might change. I compare it to laying in bed in the morning. If I get up and immediately go outside I’m motivated to hit a 5-mile run. There’s something about that crisp, fresh air, and starting the day out right with exercise. But if I turn over and pick up my iPhone, I’ll usually lay a few minutes longer to do what, check Snapchat and Instagram? Which one sounds more productive?
I’ve also read somewhere that making or breaking a habit takes 21 days. For some this might mean three weeks of going through Hell = personal improvement. Or it could mean just 21 days of adding a new hobby means it will stick. Either way, I’ve found this amount of time to be more than enough to make or break a habit. I urge you to give it a go.
Anyways, “life pro tips” are cool and all, but easier said than done. Check out the sub-reddit (or website) for yourself, and maybe you’ll pick up a thing or two that’ll resonate for you. Some more cool ones below:
Make your sandpaper last ten times longer by putting duct tape on the back
Don’t complain about a solution without providing a better alternative.
You can turn Youtube videos into .gifs just by adding ‘gif’ to the beginning of the URL.
The last one is particularly nice. Take this goal from Leo Messi for example. Just add gif after “www.” and before “youtube.com” — so it looks like “www.gifyoutube.com/watch?v=PRXbYf5qZRg” and the end result…
Beautiful. 🙂
Originally published at steffanpedersen.com on October 14, 2015.
Originally published at medium.com