How the 1-Minute Rule Can Make Your Life More Serene and Successful
I am going to confess. This past holiday season just about broke my brain. And not (thankfully) because of any major crisis or terrible trauma. Instead it was a pileup of little things. It was too many loose ends at work, errands to run, presents to buy, emails to send. It got to the point where my to-do list was just paralyzing.
Which is why I am implementing a new rule for 2023. I stumbled across it recently on the social media of author Gretchen Rubin and then scoured the web for more information. It’s called the one-minute rule, it’s dead simple, and I should have signed on to using it years ago. I am hoping it will help save my sanity this year. Maybe it will help you, too.
Quieting the Zeigarnik effect
Here’s a basic explanation of the rule from Rubin: “I must do any task that can be finished in one minute.” Right now, no excuses. And yes, everything. From filing that paper to hanging up that quote to sending that two-word email.
The idea couldn’t be simpler, but consistency is key. The one-minute rule “must be followed consistently if I want to see results. And it does take work,” Rubin emphasizes. But she also promises that the results are worth it.
