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Who doesn’t need a little tip now and then to be happier? Or a happiness hack as they say.
I needed a new podcast for my gym workout and googled happy, inspirational podcasts, and stumbled upon a list of the 10 best happy podcasts, (or something like that) and on that list was Gretchen Rubin’s Happier. I have listened to a few episodes so far, and I have to admit, she makes my workout much, dare I say, happier. Lol.
So an idea she shared is the 1 minute rule. If it’s going to take you a minute or less, just do it, rather than put it off for later. It will reduce clutter, which is always a happy thing. And if you have a spare minute, do something with it, hang up that coat, read the newsletter then delete it, check the catalog to see if you need anything then recycle it when you find you don’t…
In her words, “It’s very simple: I must do any task that can be finished in one minute. Hang up my coat, read a letter and toss it, fill in a form, answer an email, note down a citation, pick up my phone messages, file a paper, put a dish in the dishwasher, replenish the diaper supply by the changing table, put the magazines away…and so on.
Because the tasks are so quick, it isn’t too hard to make myself follow the rule—but it has big results. Keeping all those small, nagging tasks under control makes me more serene, less overwhelmed.
When people ask me for happiness rules or tips, I often suggest the “one-minute rule,” because it’s very easy to implement. Several people have made a point of telling me how helpful they have found it.
One friend told me that her apartment went from being a wreck to being quite tidy, without much effort on her part. Another friend said that his productivity had shot up; because he got so many little things got done quickly, he had much more time for the bigger tasks.
One nice thing about the “one-minute rule” is that I don’t have to think about priorities. When I stop to think, “Should I tidy up the playroom or pay bills?” or “Should I answer emails or run my computer back-up program?” I sometimes end up feeling that whatever I’m doing is the wrong thing.
But with the “one-minute rule,” I do anything that presents itself, right away, as long as I can do it in a minute.”
With this is as my new mantra, I’ve mended a ripped skirt with some really cute flowers from an old blouse I couldn’t wear, picked up all the sticks and branches in our yard from recent storms, tamed our crazy Wisteria bush on our arbor before it starts blooming and we won’t be able to walk under it, hung up quite a few clothes, changed our chalkboard quote in the kitchen… in just a few days… and honestly, although they all took longer than a minute, the concept is so great. I know I’m going to keep going. I’ll let you know how it goes.
I just need to remember Zentangle is not in the minute or less category! (a private joke for my newsletter followers).
Try it. Let me know what you think!
