A few weeks ago while volunteering at my local charity shop, I saw a book with the title ‘The 5 second rule’. This book promised to have a simple one size fits all solution for when we procrastinate and stop ourselves from doing things we want to do.

I like the idea of a no frills approach to helping us stop putting off what we want to achieve.

The writer had sold over a million copies and given a Ted Talk.

For example, I need to write this blog but keep putting it off. The 5 second rule says to do it straight away and don’t think about it too much just do it. My question is if it is so simple why we wouldn’t have been able to do it before. I tried the 5 second rule but kept putting it off until I had spent 12 x 5 seconds. I gave up and tried again later.

The 5 second rule is not new. As a child we were told to try a new food for 5 seconds before rejecting it.

Did anyone have a 5 second rule growing up, at school or in later life?

I do think simple things that are easy to recall can work, but as I said before if it was that easy it would have worked before.

I don’t like someone saying I must solve all my hesitation by counting to 5. I made myself start this blog again as I wanted to finish it. I did not have to count down from 5.

Would you find, or have you found this rule easy and successful for you in achieving goals?

Are there easy rules that have helped you?

What helps you to do something you want to do but keep putting off?

Leah 

A Moodscope member