There are two popular versions. In David Allen's Getting Things Done, it means: if something will take less than two minutes, do it immediately instead of tracking it. In James Clear's Atomic Habits, it means: when starting a new habit, scale it down until it takes two minutes, like "read one page" instead of "read every night".
Why it matters
The first version stops tiny tasks piling up into a heavy list. The second makes starting so easy that the habit actually begins — and beginning is the hard part.
How to apply it
- Process small items on the spot during an admin block, not during deep work.
- For a new habit, define the two-minute version and only commit to that.
- Do not let two-minute tasks interrupt a focus block; collect them for later.