Five-Minute Rule
A productivity technique where you commit to working on a dreaded task for just 5 minutes, often creating enough momentum to continue.
Also known as: 5-Minute Rule, Just Five Minutes
Category: Techniques
Tags: productivity, procrastination, motivations, habits, momentum, starting
Explanation
The Five-Minute Rule is a simple but powerful technique for overcoming procrastination. The hardest part of any task is often just getting started—once you begin, continuing becomes much easier.
**How It Works**:
1. **Set a timer** for exactly 5 minutes
2. **Start working** on the task you've been putting off
3. **After 5 minutes**, give yourself permission to stop if you want
4. **Most often**, you'll find yourself continuing because you've built momentum
**Why It's Effective**:
- **Lowers the barrier**: 5 minutes feels manageable, even for dreaded tasks
- **Bypasses resistance**: Your brain doesn't fight a tiny commitment
- **Creates momentum**: Starting is the hardest part; once moving, inertia works for you
- **Reveals task reality**: Often the task is less painful than anticipated
- **Builds evidence**: Each success proves you can start difficult things
**Psychology Behind It**:
- **Zeigarnik Effect**: Once started, uncompleted tasks create mental tension that motivates completion
- **Activation energy**: Like a chemical reaction, tasks need initial energy to start, then proceed more easily
- **Commitment consistency**: Having started, we're psychologically motivated to continue
**When to Use It**:
- Tasks you've been avoiding for days or weeks
- Work that feels overwhelming
- Projects where you don't know where to begin
- Any activity where starting feels harder than doing
**Comparison with Two-Minute Rule**:
- **Two-Minute Rule** (GTD): If a task takes less than 2 minutes, do it now
- **Five-Minute Rule**: Work on any task for at least 5 minutes to build momentum
Both address procrastination but from different angles—the Two-Minute Rule eliminates small tasks, while the Five-Minute Rule starts big ones.
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