The Power of the 20-Second Rule
20 Seconds. It sounds like nothing. But this tiny bit of time is the difference between good and bad habits and, by extension, a good and bad life.
If it takes less than 20 seconds to initiate a good action, there’s a good chance it will grow into a habit. Similarly, if you want to break a bad habit, make sure getting to it takes more than 20 seconds of effort.
This week’s article used this idea to explain why we spend 4x more time on leisure activities 3x less likely to make us feel good. In short, passive activities like watching TV do little for our happiness, but we keep coming back because it’s so easily accessible. Alternatives like sports and hobbies bring much greater joy but are often more than 20 seconds away.
So, let’s get practical. Here’s how the 20-second rule can rescue your time from the allure of instant-access passive leisure:
- Unsubscribe from any services likely to steal many hours of your time without making you feel energized and revitalized. Use RescueTime to block distractions that don’t need a subscription.
- Hide your TV remote in the darkest corner of your most remote closet. Or, if you’re feeling really brave, get rid of the TV altogether.
- Turn off all notifications on your phone and move any useful apps that often distract you into a folder on the last quick-access screen.
Get more joy from active leisure with these three ideas:
- Make sure your favorite hobbies are less than 20 seconds away: a guitar on a prominent stand in the living room, an interesting book on every open surface, a camera hanging right by the front door.
- Pleasant physical activity should be just as easily accessible: Have a fun Zumba routine at your fingertips, make sure your sports equipment is in good condition, and, ideally, get nature in your backyard.
- Set up healthy social activities the moment you think of them. Even better, set up recurring activities that will require effort to cancel.
I hope these tips help you as much as they helped me!
Have an HHWPS weekend!
Schalk
