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Boss Babe Chronicles

Productivity

The One-Minute Rule: Why You Should Live By It

October 16, 2019

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Take a few seconds to look around you.

The One-Minute Rule

Are there small tasks that you need to get to? Laundry that is unfolded, vacuuming of a certain room, a couple of dishes in the sink? Is your bed unmade? Does your trash need to be taken out?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, or noticed that you had some other little tasks to complete, this little hack is for you.

I used to struggle a lot with staying productive throughout my early twenties. Letting things pile up was a regular occurrence in my life, and in the blink of an eye, I would have a to-do list that was miles long.

I found out about the one-minute rule a few years ago, and while I haven’t stuck to it since then, I have been making a conscious effort to sticking to it lately.

And you guys, it’s incredible!

If you are someone who, like me, struggles sometimes with staying productive or you just like getting things done, the one-minute rule will help you get crazy organized and maximize productivity.

Related:
7 BEST WAYS TO BEAT PROCRASTINATION THIS FALL

The One-Minute Rule

The One-Minute Rule: Why You Should Live By It

Simply put, the one-minute rule means that if something is going to take you one minute or less to do, you just do it. No second thoughts, no “I’ll get to it later”. You do it now.

Sounds simple, right? That’s because it is!

Applying this rule in your life will also help you save time, in addition to keeping you productive, organized, and totally on top of your game.

How to apply this rule in your life:

How many times during the week do you not bother with picking up after yourself? I used to do it all week. By the time the weekend rolled around, I was knee-deep in piles of stuff all over my house.

Would you rather do an hours-long cleaning on the weekend, or not have a lot to do and instead spend more time relaxing? I would hope it’s the latter.

Here are some easy ways you can apply the one-minute rule throughout the week to avoid having to spend hours cleaning on the weekend:

  • make your bed
  • load the dishwasher
  • put food back in the fridge
  • put dirty clothes in the hamper
  • hang your coat/jacket back in the closet
  • take out the trash
  • wipe your countertops
  • clean your bathroom mirror
  • hang your keys by the door
  • water your plants
  • put your shoes in their place

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    What I love the most about the one-minute rule is that in addition to helping me keep an organized space, it also keeps mental clutter away.

    I love being organized and often declutter my space. I mostly do it because I hate having random stuff lying around. Whenever things pile up, I lose focus and become distracted very easily.

    Having a clean space thanks to the one-minute rule keeps me more focused and helps me stay on task and, in turn, I am able to tackle my to-do list in no time.

    The one-minute rule doesn’t only have to apply to home life. I also use it at work, and with blogging.

    Here are some ways I do that:

    • tidying up my desk
    • decluttering my work bag
    • filing papers away after use
    • organizing folders on my laptop
    • texting someone back
    • putting stationary away after use
    • putting notebooks/planners away when I’m done with them
    • writing my to-do list
    • answering quick emails
    • sending out messages
    • setting up meetings

    It’s so much better for me to do these little tasks that take no time throughout the day than to have them hang over my head until I decide I finally want to tackle them.

    A trick I also like to use is to set up a timer for one minute on my Fitbit (this little watch has been my favorite thing lately!) whenever I’m straightening out my room. You’ll be amazed at how many things I get done in just one minute!

    I think everybody should at least try out the one-minute rule! Try it for a few days and see how you feel about it. I’m sure you’ll find yourself less overwhelmed and more productive.

    Do you follow this rule, or think that it is something you will be trying out in your daily life? If so, let me know in the comments!

    If you enjoyed reading this post and learned something new, pin the image below to help others learn about this awesome productivity hack!

    Related:
    5 EASY STEPS TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY

    The One-Minute Rule

    one-minute rule organization productivity

    29 Comments

    About Mariam

    Hi! I'm Mariam, your go-to guide for navigating life’s twists and turns. I write posts to help women create their dream lives. Think of me as a supportive friend cheering you on to become your best self. My goal is to inspire confidence and celebrate your unique journey. Join me as we embrace our strengths and enjoy the adventure of self-discovery together!

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    Comments

    1. Jenny in Neverland says

      October 16, 2019 at 1:10 pm

      I’ve never heard of the one minute rule but I love it! I think I probably do this anyway. All those little boring tasks that can get done quickly.. just do them! x

      Reply
      • Mariam says

        October 16, 2019 at 3:21 pm

        Absolutely! Having all these little dumb things piled up drives me nuts!

        Reply
    2. goatdogsimple says

      October 16, 2019 at 4:35 pm

      This is a wonderful idea! We all have a little time throughout the day that can be put to good use. And avoid the snowball of clutter.

      Reply
      • Mariam says

        October 17, 2019 at 5:43 am

        Absolutely! It really helps with avoiding clutter.

        Reply
    3. poofbeegoneblog says

      October 16, 2019 at 5:57 pm

      The one minute rule is so easy and simplistic. The next step is to get out of my way and apply it.

      Reply
      • Mariam says

        October 17, 2019 at 5:43 am

        Once you do it a few times, it should come naturally to you! 😊

        Reply
    4. Katie | Katie Saves says

      October 16, 2019 at 6:50 pm

      Honestly, I’ve been doing this for a while now and it’s crazy what a huge difference it makes!

      Reply
      • Mariam says

        October 17, 2019 at 5:42 am

        Absolutely! Thank you for reading. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Lynyadia Prosper says

      October 16, 2019 at 8:34 pm

      I hadn’t heard about this till now. I am definitely going to try this out. Thanks for this post!

      Reply
      • Mariam says

        October 17, 2019 at 5:40 am

        My pleasure!

        Reply
    6. Kelly says

      October 16, 2019 at 9:53 pm

      I have never heard of this one minute method but I love it. I am a procrastinator if something takes to long to do so this is great for me.

      Reply
      • Mariam says

        October 17, 2019 at 5:39 am

        I think you will love it! Thank you for stopping by. 😊

        Reply
    7. Bethany Jane says

      October 17, 2019 at 5:52 pm

      This is such a clever, simple little hack! I’m really bad for leaving things all over the place because I can’t be bothered putting them away, so I’m going to give this a shot over the next few days and see how I get on!
      Beth x Adventure & Anxiety

      Reply
      • Mariam says

        October 17, 2019 at 7:32 pm

        Good luck! I’m sure you’ll love it. 😊

        Reply
    8. Kez says

      October 18, 2019 at 8:19 am

      Great rule to live by. I actually do this already, I just hadn’t put a name to it!

      Reply
      • Mariam says

        October 19, 2019 at 11:17 am

        That’s awesome that you already do it!

        Reply
    9. Simone says

      October 18, 2019 at 3:46 pm

      I’ve heard of this hack before but I actually never did something with it. Now I’ve read about it again, I’m sure I just need to start doing this!

      Reply
      • Mariam says

        October 19, 2019 at 11:16 am

        I hope you like it as much as I do! Such a time-saver!

        Reply
    10. loverosiee says

      October 20, 2019 at 3:58 pm

      Yess I love this rule!! I don’t live by it every second of the day but it is my mantra for getting stuff done!
      Rosie
      loverosiee.co.uk

      Reply
    11. Aimee says

      October 24, 2019 at 5:41 pm

      I had never heard of the one minute rule until now. It’s great – definately going to share this with my friends! Nothing worse than having a build up of chores!

      Reply
    12. Hannah Read says

      October 26, 2019 at 5:06 pm

      I haven’t heard of this but it sounds great! I have a real habit of leaving all cleaning tasks until the weekend (even things like ‘pick up jumper off of floor’) so this could be good to try!

      Reply
      • Mariam says

        October 26, 2019 at 5:31 pm

        Honestly I used to be the same way! I’d focus on the bigger things I needed to get done and regret leaving the small stuff til the last minute! I hope you try this out and like it! 😊

        Reply
    13. Candice Coppola says

      January 12, 2020 at 8:53 pm

      Such a great piece of advice! It’s amazing the excuses we’ll tell ourselves for not doing something when it takes less time to do it. Thanks for this great reminder!

      Reply
      • Mariam says

        January 17, 2020 at 1:14 pm

        Aw my pleasure! I’m glad you liked it!

        Reply
    14. Luan says

      July 7, 2020 at 10:49 pm

      I loved this ! Thank you for sharing! I haven’t received my planner tho ?

      Reply
      • Mariam says

        July 9, 2020 at 12:34 pm

        Please check your spam! Sometimes the emails go there by mistake.

        Reply
    15. Data-Samtak Susan says

      April 18, 2021 at 8:33 pm

      I heard the One Minute Rule as :
      If it takes a minute or less, do it now.
      If it takes more than a minute Schedule it.
      Duh, what a great idea!
      Works for me.

      Reply
    16. Maree says

      November 3, 2021 at 10:30 am

      This so true, I too have used this tip, thank you for all the tips it really does save time.
      Maree

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. 10 Ways To Get More Done In Your Day - Boss Babe Chronicles says:
      November 16, 2019 at 8:10 pm

      […] one-minute rule has changed my life. If you have no idea what it is, it’s very […]

      Reply
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