How to overcome the procrastination habit with a simple 'two-minute rule'

I've tried to list the actions to take to achieve a big goal, but sometimes I find it annoying and postpone the action. Hoanh An, a software engineer who also publishes topics such as business, decision-making, and well-being, summarizes the 'two-minute rule' that overcomes the procrastination habit of behavior and approaches the goal.

Get started with 2-minute rule | Hoanh An
https://hoanhan.co/posts/2-minute-rule/

In order to achieve the goal, it is said that it is effective not only to set vague goals but also to 'list up what to do'. However, 'reading a specialized book,' 'writing an essay,' 'running 10 miles (about 16 km),' 'doing push-ups 100 times,' 'eating more vegetables,' 'practicing an interview,' and 'software program.' If you face a task such as 'make a', you will often find it bothersome and postpone it.

An says that anyone who finds it difficult to get the task done should consider setting up a simple 'two-minute rule.' The 2-minute rule advocated by Mr. An is to reduce the task to 'a version that can be done in 2 minutes'.

When you actually reduce various tasks based on the 2-minute rule, it looks like this.

・ 'Read a book' → 'Read only one page'
・ 'Write an essay' → 'Write only one sentence'
・ 'Run 10 miles' → 'Wear running shoes'
・ 'Do push-ups 100 times' → 'Do push-ups only once'
・ 'Eat lots of vegetables' → 'Eat apples'
・ 'Practice interview' → 'Scan through articles that may be useful'
・ 'Write a software program' → 'Define a function'

The central idea of the two-minute rule is to 'reduce the task to a very simple level, reducing the hassle of getting started.' An points out that the hardest part of doing a task is 'starting the task,' and says that once you've done it, you're more likely to continue performing the task.

For example, if you decide to read only one page and start reading, you may feel like reading 10 pages, and sometimes you may end up reading the end of the chapter. The same can be said for writing an essay, running, or doing push-ups.

“Once you start a task, it's much easier to continue it. Sometimes you complete a task before you even realize it,” An said.