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XS✔ ◾ Touch once rule - change from 5 to 15 minutes #8415

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Apr 22, 2024
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XS✔ ◾ Touch once rule - change from 5 to 15 minutes #8415

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6 changes: 3 additions & 3 deletions rules/the-touch-it-once-principle/rule.md
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
---
type: rule
archivedreason:
title: Do you know the "touch it once" principle? (aka if something takes less than 5 minutes, do it immediately)
title: Do you know the "touch it once" principle? (aka if something takes less than 15 minutes, do it immediately)
guid: d0e6f016-0c71-40d9-b548-8e9598671d4b
uri: the-touch-it-once-principle
created: 2018-11-20T17:42:47.0000000Z
Expand All @@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ There is a hidden cost that every task or email in your inbox adds that is easy

<!--endintro-->

This tiny cost once multiplied multiple times per task, and considering how many small (&lt;5 minutes) style tasks we all get in a given day, can end up taking up a sizable portion of your effective time while at work.
This tiny cost once multiplied multiple times per task, and considering how many small (&lt;15 minutes) style tasks we all get in a given day, can end up taking up a sizable portion of your effective time while at work.

To combat this, if you ever receive a task that would take 5 minutes or less to complete, do it immediately, [reply](/dones-do-you-reply-done-and-delete-the-original-email)[done](/dones-do-you-reply-done-and-delete-the-original-email) if necessary, and then delete it.
To combat this, if you ever receive a task that would take 15 minutes or less to complete, do it immediately, [reply](/dones-do-you-reply-done-and-delete-the-original-email)[done](/dones-do-you-reply-done-and-delete-the-original-email) if necessary, and then delete it.

Another way to implement this principle to save yourself the cognitive load of re-reading emails is to [forward emails to followupthen.com](/do-you-follow-up-emails-effectively). For example, if you know you won’t be able to work on a particular task for at least 2 weeks because of a dependency, forward the email to `[email protected]`, and it will reappear in your inbox at the time you can actually do something about it.
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