4 Minutes is All You Need to Beat Procrastination

In the battle to get work done, sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. This article will walk you through the easy to learn and use method of the 4 Minute Rule.

Here are the steps of using the 4 Minute Rule:

1. Get all the items you need to do your work (textbook, highlighters, pens and pencils, study notes, reading materials, writing materials)
2. Set a timer for 4 minutes and tap start
3. Study/Write until the timer goes off
4. Ask yourself “Do I want to continue?”

The 4 Minute Rule speaks to the most difficult part of tasks…getting started. By getting going and seeing progress in the 4 minutes that you are working, you will more than likely tell yourself to continue. That’s the power of the 4 Minute Rule, once you get started it’s harder to get yourself to stop. If you want more of the science behind this, Jane Porter at LifeHacker has done a great job of breaking down the “Just Start” thinking: Mastering the Art of “Just Start”.

There may be times when you don’t want to continue too. Don’t beat yourself up about this. Try again later. For a great way to beat procrastination and be efficient with your time, couple the 4 Minute Rule with the Pomodoro Technique.