If you’re not a morning person, you need to hear about the 2/3 rule.
Getting up when the alarm clock goes off is something I almost never manage to do and, for that reason, I’ve stopped including it in my list of New Year’s resolutions. I keep postponing the alarm many more times than I would like, which, of course, has its inevitable consequences. As a result, my mornings are a succession of tasks against the clock that leave me without much time to get ready.
So when I heard about a new method that could save time in my morning routine that had gone viral on social media, it immediately piqued my curiosity. My intention in 2026 is not to stop snoozing my cell phone alarm, but to manage getting ready quicker and more efficiently without cutting into sleeping time. The method in question is known as the 2/3 rule, and it promises to save you time without sacrificing your look (or your rest).
The idea starts from a universal observation: wanting to do too much in the morning often leads to the opposite effect. Too much make-up, too elaborate of a hairstyle, styling that feels overdone… and suddenly the look seems unbalanced. The 2/3 rule suggests doing less, but better.
Think about how long it can take you to get ready each morning. Maybe it starts with a shower followed by your skin care routine. Even if you skip right to the hair styling tools, makeup can also be time-consuming. And this is all before you’ve begun to choose your outfit.
So, what is the 2/3 rule?
The 2/3 rule is the perfect method for those times you want to feel good about your look without spending half the day in the bathroom. (So, every day.) It’s all about choosing just two things to focus on: hair, makeup, or outfit.
If you choose only two, you waste less time and can conserve your mental energy for whatever the rest of the day brings. For many, this rule is also a formula that ensures a chic look. When you think about it, the world’s style icons rarely look glamorous 24/7, head to toe. Instead, they always have at least one thing slightly messy or imperfect that gives them a relaxed, off-duty model vibe.
Instead of trying to do everything and coming up short, following the 2/3 rule is a way to increase your chances of success. If you opt for a more elaborate outfit and spend more time on your foundation, blush, and mascara, then don’t worry too much about the hair. And by the way, sunglasses totally count as makeup.
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