“Maybe later.”
“I can do it tomorrow.”
“It’s fine—I’ll get to it eventually.”
How often do we find ourselves murmuring these excuses throughout the day? Procrastination tempts us constantly, and we spend much of our lives locked in a tug-of-war with it—sometimes giving in, sometimes fighting back.
Psychologist Jennifer Wild offers a simple yet effective strategy against procrastination: the Three-Minute Rule. When you’re reluctant, unsure, or simply too tired to start, just do it—for three minutes. That’s all it takes. Once you stand up and take action, the discomfort and guilt that come with putting things off begin to fade. Often, those first three minutes can create momentum—three turn into six, six into nine—and before you realize it, the task is done. The small joy and satisfaction of completing something, however minor, make it far more likely that you’ll take action instead of delaying next time.
After all, putting off what must be done only passes the burden on to your future self. So why not postpone your procrastination instead—and put the Three-Minute Rule into action right now?
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