The Two-Minute Rule

Helps with building and maintaining new habits

Can be helpful for: individuals who struggle with initiating tasks, maintaining routines, or are looking for ADHD-friendly strategies to overcome decision paralysis and build consistency.

How to Apply the Two-Minute Rule

When starting a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do. This approach, often referred to as the two-minute rule, can help you ease into habits without overwhelming yourself. Most habits can be scaled down to a manageable two-minute version:

  • Read every night → Read one page
  • Half an hour of yoga → Do one stretch
  • Study for class → Read one page of notes
  • Fold the laundry → Fold two shirts

Once the two-minute version becomes easy and automatic, you can gradually increase the difficulty until it becomes the full habit you want to integrate into your routine. This step-by-step process is particularly effective as an ADHD strategy or neurodiverse strategy for creating sustainable routines. A habit must be established before it can be improved.

References

Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Penguin.

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