Using the 5-Second Rule to Overcome Procrastination

Have you been pushing off a big work project? Keep neglecting to fold that big pile of laundry? Constantly telling yourself you’ll pay that bill tomorrow?

Pretty much 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 impetus to get things done?

That’s where the 5-second rule comes in—and no, we don’t mean the rule about eating food after you dropped it on the floor. It’s become pretty popular on platforms like TikTok and it’s easy to see why. It’s a potential quick fix that will help us get things done, and who wouldn’t want that?

But what is the 5-second rule, and is it any good? Before any further delay, let’s find out more.

Understanding the 5-Second Rule

Mel Robbins, an author, podcast host, and former lawyer, came up with the 5-second rule, popularizing it in her book, aptly titled “The 5 Second Rule”. The idea is that, when we want or need to get something done, we start right away by counting down from five to one and then doing it.

If you’re enjoying a bit of TikTok brainrot 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 decisionmaking, allowing us to get started on a task without overthinking.

How It Works

Rashelle Isip, productivity coach at The Order Expert®, explains that the rule can help us stop procrastinating because it encourages us to take action right away. “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,” she says.

“Our brains are designed to protect us from discomfort, which often leads us to avoid doing things that we find challenging, daunting or that feel like too much to tackle,” adds Kevin Connor, founder and CEO of Modern SBC. “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.”

It’s easy to overthink things or tell ourselves we can put things off for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, an hour, until tomorrow—the 5-second rule helps us focus on the present and get tasks out of the way as soon as possible.

Benefits of the 5-Second 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,” explains Elena Touroni, PhD, a consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic. “By creating momentum, it can help build confidence, reduce self-doubt, and even improve motivation over time.”

You can adapt the rule to your own tendencies, too, so find out what works for you. For example, Isip suggests creating a tracker on a notepad on which you record the tasks you’ve accomplished using the rule—it might help you stay motivated! “Keep a brief 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,” she adds.

In Connor’s view, the rule offers plenty of mental health benefits beyond productivity, too. 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—builds confidence, alleviates 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 also use the rule to help motivate yourself and focus your attention throughout your routine, such as getting up in the morning or starting work for the day,” says Isip, so why not give it a try when you wake up?

You can use the rule throughout the day, too, whether it’s for work, running errands, or simply making a phone call you’re putting off. Perhaps you’d planned to head to the gym or go for a run after work but when the evening comes around you’d rather watch some TV. Using the 5-second rule could encourage you to keep to the original plan.

Challenges and Considerations

You might resist the rule to begin with. 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 where there’s little to no resistance,” suggests Isip. “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.”

The idea of the 5-second rule is that we start doing the task we’ve been putting off right away, so it’s important to understand that it’s not the same as doing something impulsively or without thinking. So, 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 the 5-second rule to sort your laundry, for example.

“Relying on it too much could lead to impulsive choices or mental fatigue, as constantly forcing action without considering long-term consequences can be draining,” says Dr. Touroni. “Like any strategy, it works best when used in balance with thoughtful decisionmaking and rest.”

Similar Alternatives

Isip explains that she uses similar processes herself. “For instance, if there’s some paperwork I don’t wish to do, I may say something like, “I’m just going to do this paperwork for 30 minutes. That’s easy, I can handle that. And when I’m finished, I’ll feel better because my paperwork will be in order.” 

For me, I find that the Pomodoro Technique is useful. Particularly if I’m not feeling motivated to write, I will set a timer for 25 minutes, work on the task, and then take a short 5-minute break before repeating the process again. It works for other things, too—if I want to tidy my apartment, I’ll often do so using the method.

Another thing Isip tries is to take one small step related to her work, like creating a folder on her computer or opening a notebook. “Taking a simple step forward helps reduce my resistance toward starting and continuing with the work,” she explains.

Conclusion

The 5-second rule might work better for some people than others, but it’s certainly worth trying if you’d like to tackle procrastination. If you’ve persevered with it and found that it’s not something you work well with, why not try an alternative, or apply it to different areas of your life?

The evidence is clear that it can be effective for many, so there’s no harm in trying it out.

Further Reading and Resources

To find out more about the rule, the best starting point would be Robbins’ book, which you can find out more about on her website. Her TED Talk is also insightful.

You might find David Allen’s Getting Things Done system useful for procrastination, too, as well as Brian Tracy’s ‘Eat That Frog’ approach.