I’ve talked about this technique before, but really feel it’s worth coming back to – because it’s something that I have to use all of the time due to my constant will to procrastinate.
Whenever I’m putting something off; doing everything but the thing that I don’t want to do; when I’m making excuses and talking about how I’ll do it tomorrow; when I’m writing a plan of action, instead of taking any; and when I just can’t be arsed….
I tell myself, “Just 5 minutes”.
Can I at least open up the email, begin reading the chapter, type out the title or whatever it is that would constitute a 5 minute start? I rarely answer no to this question.
I mean, it’s hard to argue that I can’t give up a lowly 5 minutes for whatever it is, and because I’m not telling myself that I have to give up hours to this drudgery, or to complete the whole project, I find myself much more willing to at least begin and just give away that 5 minutes.
Of course, 5 minutes usually becomes an hour or hours. Because as soon as I get out of my own head and into reality, I see that the task at hand isn’t half as miserable as I’d previously decided.
Creativity, inspiration, motivation follow – and soon I can be lost in ‘flow’ state, doing the very thing that I’d been avoiding at all costs. And then before I know it I’m done, ready to enjoy my time, free from the guilt, worry and stress that a day of procrastination brings about.
So if you’re reading this now as a means of procrastination; if you’re putting something off; get to it now, just for 5 minutes.
And see what happens.
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