The five minute rule

Photo by Whiskeygonebad

A famous professor once told us about the five minute rule.

But you may ask, "I've known about the five minute rule since I was in sixth grade and the teacher had not yet shown up five minutes into class!" Trust me, this rule is better.

Ok, so in sixth grade just about nothing could beat your 5 minutes rule in a rule for rule match, but you've grown up a bit since then, right? While I'm sure you enjoy unexpected free time just as much as the next person, there are other things you want as well.

How about financial freedom, something anyone who has never had, wants? Maybe you'd like to break bad habits, or turn over a new leaf in how you view the world around you. Perhaps you just want to "do" (for work) what makes you happy, or you are tired of having no energy and getting sick all the time? Or do you know people that find it hard to do more than the bare minimum they need to do to survive? From casual observations as early as your school days, I'm sure you would like to know how people are often manipulated (simply to prevent yourself from being taken advantage of, of course).

Irrespective of what you want, I guarantee you it won't come by following your old five minute rule- taking every opportunity to avoid learning or doing.

Those of you who liked to sit in the back of the classroom and find a flaw in every teachers logic are thinking "what if I do nothing for the rest of my life except buy a winning lottery ticket "? Well, without a lot of foresight, moderation and a deep understanding of your world and how it operates with or without you, even  a winning lottery ticket won't bring you happiness, and statistically speaking you won't have that money for long. I could cite you examples of mega millions winners that have lost all their earnings, but you found us, you obviously have a handle on internet search.

The point is it's easier to do nothing, and so procrastinate we often do. Companies have figured this out, and rely on the fact that the majority of people will take no action over small matters rather than spend time and energy to fix something. Our goals of ours are well within our reach, we must just move towards our goals instead of standing still.

This famous professor told us her rule. "Never put off for later what you can do in the next five minutes". Her words to us have great meaning.

Photo by Jonesor

• Moving toward our goals, we will eventually reach them.
• Reacting to what is placed before us prevents these small obstacles from building up, for when they pile up it gets harder to accomplish all required tasks, and more desirable to let things pass.
• Thinking about something that needs to be done has often already taken a significant portion of the time and energy needed to do the short task. Why put it off and require yourself to spend time remembering where your brain left of?
• Taking advantage of opportunities placed in our path, makes us people who seize the day. 
• Doing even small tasks successfully energizes us, as people we naturally get excited when things begin to go our way. We can facilitate this cyclical process.

Acting on the five minute rule is a small thing. However it was a host of relatively small things that built the Roman Aqueducts 2,000 years ago, realized goals that are still with us today. 

Finally, understand that walking down this path is contagious, and the more we move towards our goals and surround ourselves with like-energized people, the easier it becomes to meet new goals.

This wise professor ended her point by emphatically stating "those who chose to procrastinate end up spending more time and energy just to get by, than those who act in the moment". As things come to you and are easily taken care of- do them.