Motherhood is beautiful. Unpredictable. Exhilarating. Exhausting. When you’re juggling feeding schedules, school drop-offs, housework, and trying to remember what you last wore besides yoga pants, the overwhelm can creep in quicker than you think.

For what feels like my entire experience of motherhood, I’ve been exploring ways to make life feel a little less chaotic. One creator who’s message has resonated with me recently is Mina Zalie, you may have seen her on TikTok @minazalie or on Instagram @minazalie. She offers lots of bite-sized strategies for getting more structure without burning out. One of her standout tools is what she calls the “2-15 Rule.” Today I want to unpack that rule, what it involves, why it works, and how you (yes, you!) can adapt it in motherhood without adding more guilt.

Who Is Mina Zalie (and Why I’m Listening)

Before I dive into the rule itself, a bit about Mina: she’s a content creator, particularly active on TikTok, where she shares productivity tips, mindset shifts, and minimal structure habits. She’s not about hustle culture in a way that pushes you to the edge, instead, her angle is always “How can I build tiny habits that help me feel more in control, less overwhelmed?” And that’s what drew me in, because that’s exactly what many of us need as moms.

Her audience tends to be people who want order, but not at the cost of sanity. Who want to feel like they’re doing something for themselves, for their home, for their well-being, without needing to overhaul everything at once.

What Exactly Is the “2-15 Rule”?

The “2-15 Rule” is Mina’s shorthand for three daily practices she suggests everyone try to incorporate:

1. 2 hours schedule divided into

a. 1 hour of cleaning / tidying your home

b. 1 hour for working out / moving your body

2. 15 minutes devoted to getting yourself ready, this could be grooming, skincare, dressing up, makeup, hair, whatever “ready” means for you (note: it does not have to look Instagram perfect).

So the “2-15 Rule” = 1 hour cleaning + 1 hour exercise + 15 minutes you-time (getting ready) every single day.

Sometimes people think “2-15” means those hours have to come in big chunks, or at specific times. Mina’s approach is more flexible than that: yes, structure helps, but the goal isn’t perfection, it’s consistency. Tiny wins. Momentum.

Why She Says It’s Beneficial

Having spoken through a lot of her content (and thinking through it in my own life), here are the main reasons Mina advocates for the rule and why it works so well, especially for busy parents.

1. Anchors in Routine

When you’re a mom, every day can feel like you’re putting out fires. But routines give you anchor points, i.e. tasks you can look forward to, that you can count on. Cleaning for an hour, exercising for an hour, and spending 15 minutes getting ready are those anchor points. They force you to claim time in the day that belongs to something predictable and positive.

2. Balance of Multiple Domains

Often self-care gets siloed (if it happens at all). We get so good at the doing-for-others: cooking, cleaning, chauffeuring. But these three pieces hit different domains:

• Cleaning/tidying → order in your physical environment

• Exercise → physical + mental health

• Getting ready → self-esteem and identity (“I still know me under all the Mom hats”)

When you weave in all three, you’re not totally neglecting any one thing. Over time, that balance reduces overwhelm and gives a sense of being more “whole.”

3. Small, Consistent Wins

The power is in showing up daily, even when you don’t feel like it. One hour of cleaning might be more than you want to do some days, but doing something for that hour gives momentum. Likewise, 15 minutes of getting ready, even if it’s just brushing your hair and changing into something you feel okay in, can shift your energy and mindset for the rest of the day. Momentum creates confidence: “I did my hour of tidying. I moved. I showed up for myself.” On hard days, these feel like lifelines.

4. Helps with Decision Fatigue & Overthinking

If you’re thinking constantly: Should I clean now? Should I nap? Should I rest? Should I start laundry?, this rule gives you a simple set of decisions already made. “Today, I will do an hour cleaning, an hour exercise, and 15 minutes ready.” Just that small amount of structure means less mental weight, fewer internal debates. As a mom, that’s huge.

5. Flexible Enough to Adapt

One big win: it’s not rigid. Mina often says that life happens. Some days the hour of cleaning might be split into two half-hour sessions; maybe the workout is a walk with stroller instead of a gym class. The 15 minutes might happen before everyone is up or after they’re in bed. The idea isn’t to punish yourself for missing perfect; it’s to aim for progress and stability.

How to Use the 2-15 Rule as a Mom (Without Feeling Like You’re Adding More to the Plate)

Knowing the benefits is one thing; making it feel doable is another. Here are ideas and tips so the 2-15 Rule supports you rather than adds guilt.

Tip 1: Start With One Pillar, Then Layer In

If doing all three every day feels overwhelming, pick one to start. Maybe just commit to the 15-minute “you” time each day. Once that feels doable, add the cleaning hour. Then add in the exercise hour. That way you build the habit rather than overloading.

Tip 2: Be Kind About What Counts

• The cleaning hour doesn’t mean deep-cleaning every corner. It can be tidying, laundry, dishes, picking up toys, wiping counters. Anything that helps your environment feel more peaceful.

• The workout hour can be gentle: walking, stretching, a dance party in the kitchen with the kids. It’s moving with intention, not striving for a perfect gym session.

• The 15 minutes getting ready can be one thing: brushing hair, putting on a dry (clean) outfit, applying moisturizer, or just doing something that feels like you. Even if no one sees you, it matters how you feel looking in the mirror.

Tip 3: Block Out Time, But Stay Flexible

Put it in your planner, your calendar, or set reminders. If you know your kids will nap midday, maybe that’s your cleaning hour. If they have gymnastics or soccer in the afternoon, maybe exercise happens early morning or evening. Life will interrupt, allow that. If some part gets bumped, don’t beat yourself up. Pick up where you left off.

Tip 4: Involve the Kids (When Possible)

When kids are little, cleaning, for example, can become story-and-song time. A dance around the room while picking up blocks. The workout hour could be family fun: a walk, kid-friendly yoga, obstacle courses. It’s not just about doing it alone, it’s teaching rhythm, responsibility, movement (for them and you) and giving you a little breathing room too.

Tip 5: Notice the Ripple Effects

One of Mina’s ideas is that these small choices don’t just affect those one hours & minutes, they ripple out. A tidy house reduces stress, making evenings calmer. A workout boosts energy and mood, which helps patience, sleep, general mental health. Getting ready, whatever that means, taps into identity and helps you feel more like yourself, which matters.

Recognize and celebrate those ripple effects. They’re signs you’re not spinning wheels, you’re building structure, self-care, and calm.

Potential Objections + How to Navigate Them

Because yes, of course there will be days when this feels hard. Let’s talk through common push-backs and what to do about them.

Objection

“I don’t have a whole hour to clean/work out.”

“I feel selfish taking time for myself.”

“Some days, I’m so exhausted I can’t even think about doing all of this.”

“What if I miss a day or fall off track?”

What’s behind it

Time is limited; you have responsibilities all day long.

Guilt, internal pressure, maybe external expectations.

Burnout, lack of rest, overwhelm.

Fear of failing / feeling like you’ve lost momentum.

Possible workaround

Split the hour: 30 + 30, or 20 + 20 + 20. Pick what’s manageable. Even 10-minute bursts add up.

Remind yourself: you are not optional. Your wellbeing matters. These small acts of self-care let you show up more fully for others.

On those days: scale way down. Maybe only the 15 minutes. Maybe a 5-minute walk instead of an hour. Give yourself grace. The habit isn’t in perfection; it’s in consistency over time.

That’s normal. The goal isn’t perfection it’s progress. Every day is a fresh start. Morning or evening, whenever feels like reset time. “Today, I try again.”

How I’ve Tried It (Personal Reflections)

Since I started experimenting with the 2-15 Rule, here’s what I notice:

• On days when I do even half of it, I sleep better. Mentally, I feel less “I didn’t do anything useful.”

• Seeing an orderly space (even somewhat orderly) reduces the nagging stress in the background. It’s not about Instagram-showhouse; it’s about peace when I walk in the door.

• Exercise gives back more than physical benefits: mood shifts, patience, energy boosts, especially for homeschooling, multiple audition submissions, or when life piles up.

• The small “get ready” time: more than vanity, it’s about dignity. Even putting on a clean shirt or brushing out my hair connects me to me, not just Mom-on-autopilot.

Also, I’ve learned that if I try to force the hour of cleaning at a certain time, but I’m mentally drained, it backfires. Better to clean in smaller chunks or wait until I have more mental energy, even if it’s later in the day. I like to call it my “afternoon shift”. If as a stay-at-home mom the home is my workplace, it’s got to get cleaned like any other workplace, ideally on a predictable schedule.

Tips for Getting Started with the 2-15 Rule (Step-by-Step Plan)

If you want, here’s a simple plan to start testing this in your life:

1. Pick a Start Date – maybe tomorrow or the coming Monday.

2. Decide What “Cleaning,” “Workout,” and “Getting Ready” Mean for You – define what activities / limits you’ll accept so it feels achievable, not intimidating.

3. Map Your Day – look at when you realistically can make time. (Morning? Nap time? After kids go to bed?)

4. Set Reminders – phone alarms, calendar blocks, sticky notes.

5. Track What You Do – maybe a simple check box: cleaning hour done? workout hour done? 15 minutes you time done? Keep it visible.

6. Reflect Weekly – at week’s end, figure out what went well, what felt hard, and how you might adapt. Maybe combine cleaning+you time, or shift when you workout.

7. Celebrate Small Wins – even if you manage just the 15 minutes every day, or finish the cleaning hour three times this week instead of seven. Those successes matter.

Why This Matters More Than Just “More Productivity”

One of the potential traps with productivity rules is we turn them into another checklist, feeling guilt if we don’t hit them. Mina’s 2-15 Rule feels different. It’s as much about well-being as effectiveness. It’s not about squeezing more out of your day; it’s about using structure to reduce tension, to reclaim parts of your day for you, to support your mental health.

For mothers, especially, this kind of structure is revolutionary. Because much of motherhood is reactive. You respond to mess, to meltdowns, to sticky hands, to needs. The 2-15 Rule lets you proactively create space, time you control. And even 15 minutes matters. Even if it feels small.

Final Thoughts

If there’s one thing I want you to walk away with: you don’t need to do everything perfectly. The 2-15 Rule isn’t about adding more pressure; it’s about gently shaping your day so you have pockets of calm, self-regard, and order. It’s about remembering that you deserve joy and clarity, not just productivity.

Maybe you’ll try it tomorrow. Maybe you’ll tweak it. That’s okay, what matters is starting somewhere. Even just the 15 minutes. Even just one hour. Even one day can shift something for you.