🥕 How to Make Habits Actually Stick

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This week: We're exploring the 2-day rule — an unconventional, but simple strategy to build habits and avoid skip days. Let's jump in.

🤔 What’s The 2-Day Rule?

The idea behind the 2-day rule is simple:

Don’t skip any of your habits 2 days in a row.

Missing 1 day won’t sabotage your efforts to make your new habits stick — but if you miss 2 days, you’re likely to miss another. And for each one you miss, it’ll be harder to get back on track.

The 2-day rule gives you grace on bad days while also helping you bounce back quickly.

It might seem a little intense at first — but if you’re serious about your habits, it’ll keep you consistent and disciplined.

⛏️ Struggling to Start?

If getting started is the hardest part for you, break down the process into small, specific steps.

Let’s say you’re trying to build and maintain a study habit. You might think your study sessions begin when you start reading your notes.

But if you break it down, the process might actually look like this:

1. Get out of bed

2. Gather study materials

3. Sit down at desk

4. Set timer

5. Study until timer goes off

When you start with “getting out of bed” instead of “studying until the timer goes off”, the whole process instantly feels more manageable.

By the time you sit down at your desk, you’ve already ticked 3 items off your list!

It may not seem like much — but with each step, you build the momentum needed to follow through consistently.

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Now, let’s dive into tips for implementing the 2-Day Rule today.

🥕 More 2-Day Rule Hacks

Keep your streak going with these tried and tested tips.

☕️ Try a startup routine

A startup routine can put you in the right mindset to crush your habits.

Think of it as a pre-game ritual. It should include things that get you pumped to dive right in — like reading affirmations, tidying your workspace, or putting on your favorite playlist or podcast.

👾 Gamify it

Turn your habit tracking into a game with a rewards system! The fun part is, you can get as creative as you want.

For every few days you succeed, treat yourself to something small but enjoyable. It could be an extra hour of Netflix, buying your favorite blind box, a treat run at your favorite coffee shop, or a “free afternoon” doing whatever you want, guilt-free.

Using visual trackers or apps (check out our reco below!) can help a ton for this.

⏱️ Stay accountable

Share your goal habits and progress with a friend or niche community.

Whether it's a weekly update, a shared habit tracker (Google Sheets or Notion page works great), or a simple text exchange, knowing you'll report your progress is a powerful motivator to keep the streak alive. Plus, celebrating your successes together makes the journey more fun and rewarding!

Reddit and Discord are great places to find niche communities and connect with others pursuing similar goals. (If you’re looking for a community of go-getters, join our Flocus Discord server!)

🪅 Flocus Picks

A curated list of things worth sharing.

• The 2-Day Rule (Video) — The 2-day rule was invented by filmmaker Matt D’Avella. Check out his YouTube video for more info and tips!

• Habitica (App) — Gamify your to-do list with Habitica! Complete tasks to unlock pets, quests, achievements, and more.

• Simple Habit Tracker (Notion Template) — An easy-to-use habit tracker sheet to get going with the 2-day rule!

🖥️ Check out Flocus for more tools to level up your habits! Featuring a custom Pomodoro timer, motivational greetings, aesthetic backgrounds, and more.

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The 2-day rule is a great way to build momentum and consistency. Try it this week and see how it goes!

Until next Sunday,
Flocus Team