The 2 Minute Rule to beat Procrastination

Procrastination, at its core, is the habit of delaying or putting off tasks, often until the last minute or even past their deadline. All of us would have, at some point, postponed things just because of our small pleasure or being in a comfortable state even though we know it will lead to more stress later. It is not just a time management problem; it is also a lack of self-regulation. Procrastination is a highly prevalent problem. Among college students, nearly all admitted to procrastinating sometimes, while 75% described themselves as habitual procrastinators. Research says that this behavior, far from being a simple time-management issue, often reflects deeper underlying issues such as fear of failure, perfectionism, impulsivity, and difficulty with self-regulation (Rabin et al., 2010; Rozental et al., 2022). 

What is Procrastination?

The present bias means that we tend to be motivated more by immediate gratification or rewards than we are by long-term rewards. This is why it feels good to procrastinate. Procrastinators often prioritize immediate mood repair over long-term goal achievement, engaging in activities that provide instant gratification while neglecting more important tasks (Ferrari et al., 1995). It’s not merely about delaying tasks; it’s about the emotional and psychological processes that drive this delay, often leading to increased stress, anxiety, and decreased performance (Musafir & Basuki, 2021). 

Common Excuses Procrastinators give 

We often come up with several excuses or rationalizations to justify our behavior. The following are just a few of the common reasons why people tend to procrastinate: 

• Not knowing what needs to be done 
• Not knowing how to do something 
• Not wanting to do something 
• Not caring if it gets done or not 
• Not caring when something gets done 
• Not feeling in the mood to do it 
• Being in the habit of waiting until the last minute 
• Believing that you work better under pressure 
• Thinking that you can finish it at the last minute 
• Lack the initiative to get started 
• Forgetting 
• Blaming sickness or poor health
• Waiting for the right moment 
• I need time to think about the task. 
• Delaying one task in favor of working on another 

Types of Procrastinators: 

Some researchers classify two types of procrastinators: passive and active procrastinators. 

1. Passive procrastinators: They delay the task because they have trouble making decisions and acting on them. 
2. Active procrastinators: They delay the task purposefully because working under pressure allows them to “feel challenged and motivated.” 
3. Perfectionist: Puts off tasks out of the fear of not being able to complete a task perfectly. 
4. Dreamer: Puts off tasks because they are not good at paying attention to detail.
5. Defier: Doesn’t believe someone should dictate their time schedule.
6. Worrier: Puts off tasks out of fear of change or leaving the comfort of “the known.” 
7. Crisis-maker: Puts off tasks because they like working under pressure.
8. Overdoer: Takes on too much and struggles with finding time to start and complete tasks. 

How to beat Procrastination?  

The 2-minute rule: You can usually figure out the gateway habits that will lead to your desired outcome by mapping out your goals on a scale from “very easy” to “very hard.” The Two-Minute Rule states, “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.” You’ll find that nearly any habit can be scaled down into a two-minute version. 

Origin:

The rule comes from David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” (GTD) method. 

• “Read before bed each night” becomes “Read one page.” 
• “Do thirty minutes of yoga” becomes “Take out my yoga mat.” 
• “Study for class” becomes “Open my notes.” 
• “Fold the laundry” becomes “Fold one pair of socks.” 
• “Run three miles” becomes “Tie my running shoes.”

Why it works: “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.” The thinking here is that when you want to start something new and build a good habit to sustain it, it’s helpful to break the task down into tiny bits you can do in two minutes each. 

• Reduces mental clutter 
• Builds momentum 
• Overcomes procrastination 

Negative impacts of Procrastination

Procrastination can lead to mental health issues such as stress, which in turn can lead to issues such as reduced well-being, worse physical health, and worse academic and job performance. 

• Academic issues: worsened exam scores, increased course failures, increased course withdrawals, and longer study duration. 
• Employment and financial issues: A large-scale study found that an increase of a single point on a 5-point scale measuring the tendency to procrastinate is associated with approximately a $15,000 drop in salary. Furthermore, the study also found that when people are split into two groups based on how much they procrastinate, those who tend to procrastinate more comprise 57% of the unemployed. 
• Social issues: Procrastination can cause various social issues, like fighting with important people in your life, such as co-workers, family, and life partners.
• Reduced wellbeing: Procrastination can reduce people’s wellbeing and happiness; for instance, 94% of people indicated that procrastination has a negative effect on their happiness, and 18% indicated that this effect is extremely negative. 
• Delay in getting help: It is also associated with an increased tendency to delay getting help for those issues, for example, when it comes to seeking treatment for problems with mental and physical health problems. 
• Procrastination can cause people to miss out on important opportunities, like the opportunity to apply for a prestigious scholarship or the opportunity to ask out a potential romantic partner.

Conclusion

In conclusion, nobody is perfect. Everybody has put off things at least once in their lifetime. You can still correct your habits before they take you to the wrong turn or you observe any signs of the negative impacts that are mentioned above.