\"2-Minute Start: How Small Beginnings Create Real Momentum\"

Another strategy is the 2-minute start. It’s simple, but it works almost every time. When a task feels too big or too annoying to begin, tell yourself you’ll only do it for two minutes. That’s it. Two minutes isn’t intimidating. It’s barely a commitment.

Write the first line. Make the first phone call. Open the document and type a single sentence. Those tiny actions feel small, but they do something important: they wake up your momentum.

This is where the Zeigarnik effect shows up. Once you start something, your brain doesn’t like leaving it unfinished. Even a small beginning locks the task into your mental focus, which makes you more likely to return to it later. Starting becomes the hook. The brain wants to close the loop, so it nudges you back.

What looks like a tiny step is actually the hardest part. Once you’re in motion, even a little, the resistance fades. Two minutes often turn into five, then ten, then a finished task you were avoiding all day.

It feels backward, but starting small is often what helps you finish big.