I came across this five minute rule while flipping through the books I read. Quite not sure which one of them introduced me to this concept but this intrigued me as I struggle with procrastination. The rule is simple: " You set a timer for five minutes to start a task you usually tend to avoid. Once the timer hits, and you still find it excruciating stop the task." But let me tell you most of the times you would develop the urge to continue and that's there, is the magic of this concept. Its as simple as that. All you need is to push for that first 5 minutes! You are free to stop after that.
Human beings are naturally curious creatures. Trust me, once we get on to something we cant let it go until we are satisfied with the process or feel accomplished. That's how our brains work.
This five minute rule is a wonder. It can be applied to studies, work, business or even our household chores. Everyone needs a break and so do our important tasks to be done. Procrastinating will help for a while making us feel we are taking a break but in the longer run, we get consumed by it. So if we get on to a task knowing we can leave at any time, we are much likely to do it as no one wants to feel captivated by goals. This freedom makes us more willing to start and often continue our tasks and goals.
Five minute rule in my opinion is an excellent strategy for people like me. Few reasons I believe is:
Less intimidating: Committing to just five minutes for a task is definitely less stressful. It will help us begin the task that seemed overwhelming for a while.
Energy and motivation gain: Often the hardest part is to begin a task. And this rule helps us to gain the energy and motivation during those five minutes to keep going.
Flexibility: This concept like mentioned above, is not limited to a particular aspect but to various areas of our daily life like work, studies and household chores irrespective of age.
Over all I abide by this rule and do apply it in my life. I am confident this can be a guide if ever you feel trapped by tasks and doubt you are incapable of achieving them. This will help you to improve on how we approach our responsibilities.
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CTA: Try the five-minute rule today. Set a timer for just five minutes, start that task you've been avoiding, and see how far you can go. You might surprise yourself with how much you can accomplish!
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