Two Minutes to Peace

Dear FlyLady,

What is the two minute challenge you are asking us to join you in, talked about within your email just received about the weekly home blessing hour?

I clicked on the box at the top of the email that advertised the two minute challenge, but that just took me to the FlyShop. So what’s the two-minute challenge?

FlyBaby L.

Dear FlyBaby L.

This was a challenge that I throw out! Whenever we don’t want to do something; in other words when we procrastinate, we set our timers for 2 minutes and do what we don’t want to do. You are going to be so surprised at what you can get done in just 2 minutes.

You may be over thinking this. Take the 2 Minute Challenge without thinking. Many of us still have lots to do. Let’s get things done by taking this Challenge.

Then I expanded it to do little things in our home. Here is my essay.

What is it about two minutes? When we were told we had to do a two minute speech it seemed so long. When we stand in front of a microwave waiting impatiently for something to heat up it seems like it is taking forever. When I tell someone to do just two minutes, I get that look of “What good is that going to do?” Well let me tell you two minutes can accomplish more than you can ever dream if you will just quit whining about what it won’t do and show yourself what it can do!

This week we are taking the Two Minute Miracle Challenge! I am calling it a Miracle because you are going to be surprised by the results of just those two minutes. We refuse to believe that two minutes can make a dent in anything we need to accomplish! This is our perfectionism stopping us from even getting started.

Perfectionism is the root of procrastination. We tell ourselves that we don’t have time. The funny thing is that we don’t finish the sentence to say what we have been told our whole lives. The words should say, I don’t have time to do it RIGHT!

Since the day we were born we had these words drilled into our heads, “If you can’t do it right don’t do it at all!” We learned this part well! We still hear these words in our head. As children we were forced to do things over and over again. No one was ever really proud of what we did after all we were only kids. Our parent’s expectations were not realistic. We were told to go clean our rooms instead of giving us babystep instructions. We were expected to know what “Clean our rooms” meant. Yet there was no example of what that was, because our parents room was not clean either.

If as children we had been told we were going to play the Two Minute Game, we would have been so excited! It’s a two minute sprint to see what we can do and not a marathon that we would be doomed in the end, to repeat. Two minutes is not the end of the world. It is a focus on one thing; go pick up your dirty clothes.

Several years ago I received a testimonial from a FlyBaby who was unable to stand for fifteen minutes. She told herself that she could do two minutes. Those two minutes surprised her. They were the beginning of her journey. Ever hour she would stand for two minutes and shine her sink. As she gained her strength that shiny sink radiated around her kitchen! Two minutes at a time. Eventually she was setting her timer and getting up every fifteen minutes to do only two minutes. See what you can do when you are not overwhelmed!

Two Minutes is the beginning of a lovely way to FLY! Two minutes is doable even if you are pressed for time. When you hear yourself say, “I don’t have time!” That is when you set your timer for just two minutes!

Come FLY with me! Two Minutes are there for you too. You can create a miracle in your life, just set your timer and see what Two Minutes can DO!!

FlyLady