The 5-Second Rule: A Simple Trick to Beat Procrastination
Have you been putting off a big project, neglecting simple tasks piling up around your home or folding that big pile of laundry that’s been there, pretty much for weeks now. More then likely, everybody procrastinates at some point or another, and there's no shame in that. But what if there was something that could stop us from procrastinating and give us the motivation to get things done.
That's where the 5-second rule comes in.
The 5 Second Rule was adapted by Mel Robbin’s and has been a hit pretty much for many years. I know even after I read her book it had a major impact for the good on the way I completed tasks.
What Is the 5 Second Rule
The 5-second rule has become pretty popular recently on platforms like TikTok and a potential quick fix for procrastination.
Author and podcast host Mel Robbins came up with the rule, popularizing it in her book, The 5 Second Rule. The idea is that when we want or need to get something done, we count down from five to one, then do it.
If you’re been enjoying a little too much TikTok brain rot time in bed in the morning and a thought crosses your mind that you should probably brush your teeth or grab some breakfast, the 5 second rule encourages you to do so almost instantly, without even really thinking about it. It engages the part of the brain we use in decision making, allowing us to begin a task without overthinking.
How Does It Work
It’s easy to overthink things or tell ourselves we can put things off for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, an hour, a day. The 5 second rule helps us focus on the present and stop procrastinating by encouraging us to get tasks out of the way as soon as possible.
The rule can help you be more productive because it creates a sense of urgency and importance around you completing a particular task or series of tasks.
Our brains are designed to protect us from discomfort, which often leads us to avoid doing tasks we feel are too challenging, daunting, or may even feel too much to tackle. Counting down engages the prefrontal cortex, which is the area of the brain that assists with decision making. That small mental shift is all it takes to bypass doubt and start moving before the brain slams on the brakes.
What Are the Benefits of the Rule
The 5 second rule can be a great tool for breaking the cycle of overthinking and procrastination, giving people a simple way to push past hesitation and take action. By creating momentum, it can help build confidence, reduce self-doubt, and even improve motivation over time.
The 5 Second Rule offers plenty of mental health benefits beyond productivity. When we procrastinate and overthink things, we can develop self-doubt, stress, and guilt. Fighting that cycle by making even the tiniest of moves forward helps to builds confidence, lessen anxiety, and provides a sense of purpose, It’s not simply about doing more, it’s about feeling more in control of your day.
Ways to Use It in Your Daily Life
You can use the rule throughout the day, whether it’s for work, running errands, or simply doing your day to day routines. Using the 5-second rule could encourage you to stick to the original plan. You can also use the rule to help motivate yourself and focus your attention on your daily or weekly routines, simple tasks such as getting up in the morning or starting work for the day. So why not give it a try when you wake up.
Adapting the rule to your own personal needs can help you find a system that works for you. For example. I suggest tracking the tasks you’ve accomplished using the rule by recording them in a notepad or paper planner to help you stay motivated. I know myself I am all about paper planners and writing down even my everyday cleaning tasks. There’s something about crossing off completed tasks with my mildliner highlighters that gives me that sense of accomplishment.
Another idea is to keep a simple running list of tasks that can be completed in five minutes or less. You can use the 5 second rule to tackle each of these tasks one after another as you see fit.
Challenges and Considerations
You might resist the 5 second rule at first. I’m sure you’ve counted down from five to one, but there’s nothing actually making you start the task at that point. The rule only has as much meaning as we apply to it.
Try pairing the rule with an existing task that’s simple and where there’s little to no resistance. This might be something like brushing your teeth or putting on your shoes. This allows you to see the rule being applied with immediate results. You may be motivated to try the rule if you’ve been procrastinating on a particular task.
It’s important to understand that the point of the 5 second rule is to start doing a task we’ve been putting off, it’s not the same as doing any task impulsively or without thinking. For instance, if you suddenly decided you felt like eating some chocolate, using the 5 second rule before going to get some wouldn’t be quite the same as using it to sort your laundry.
Relying on it too much could lead to impulsive choices or mental fatigue, as constantly forcing action without considering. Like any strategy, it works best when used in balance with thoughtful decision making and rest.
Alternatives You Can Try If You Feel It Just Isn’t For You
The 5 second rule might work better for some people than others. If you’ve tried and tried to implement the rule and found that it’s not a good fit, there are alternatives to consider. Not every system works for everyone.
Personally, I also liked the Pomodoro Technique and feel it is super useful. If I’m not feeling motivated to write, I will set a timer for 25 minutes, work on the task, then take a 5 minute break before repeating the process. It works for other things, too such as if I want to tidy my apartment, I’ll often do so using this method.
You might find David Allen’s Getting Things Done system useful for procrastination as well. Or even Brian Tracy’s ‘Eat That Frog’ approach.
Wrapping Up
I’ve read the 5 second rule by Mel Robbin’s many years ago and in all honesty it was the only book that’s actually helped me to get back on track within my home. Trust me, I have read many, many self help books but nothing had worked quite like the 5 second rule. So have you read the 5 second rule by Mel Robbin’s, if so what was your takeaways. Or was there something else that you’ve read or even implemented that has helped your procrastination, I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below.
