The ‘2/3 Rule’ Is TikTok’s Viral Trick for Getting Ready Quickly in the Mornings
If you’re not a morning person, you need to hear about the 2/3 rule.
Getting up when the alarm goes off is something I almost never manage to do, and for this reason I’ve stopped including it in my list of New Year’s resolutions. I snooze the alarm far more times than I’d like, which of course has its inevitable consequences. As a result, my mornings are a succession of tasks against the clock which don’t leave me much time to prepare.
So when I heard about a new method that could save me time in my morning routine that had gone viral on social media, it immediately piqued my interest. My intention in 2026 is not to stop snoozing my cell phone alarm, but to get ready quickly and efficiently without interrupting my sleep. 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 is based on a universal observation: wanting to do too much in the morning often leads to the opposite effect. Too much makeup, too elaborate hairstyle, too many exaggerated hairstyles… and suddenly the look seems unbalanced. The 2/3 rule suggests doing less, but better.
Think about how long it will take you to get ready each morning. Maybe it starts with a shower followed by your skincare routine. Even if you jump straight to the styling tools, makeup can also be time-consuming. And all this before you start choosing your outfit.
So, what is the 2/3 rule?
The 2/3 rule is the perfect method for those times when you want to feel good about your look without spending half the day in the bathroom. (So, every day.) It’s about choosing just two things to focus on: hair, makeup, or outfit.
If you choose just two, you waste less time and can conserve your mental energy for whatever the rest of the day has in store. For many, this rule is also a formula that guarantees a cool look. When you think about it, style icons around the world rarely look glamorous 24/7, from head to toe. Instead, they always have at least one slightly messy or imperfect thing that gives them a casual, laid-back supermodel vibe.
Instead of trying to do everything and failing, following the 2/3 rule is a way to increase your chances of success. If you’re going for a more elaborate outfit and spending more time on your foundation, blush, and mascara, don’t worry too much about the hair. And besides, sunglasses totally count as makeup.
