A 5 Second Rule to Stop Procrastination From Killing Your Productivity

It’s so easy to keep putting off the projects & tasks that we don’t want to do…we hurry to complete the ones we like and leave the worst for last. So inevitably it takes longer to complete the dreaded tasks since we’ve already subconsciously trained ourselves to approach it sluggishly, even from the onset of the task.

Procrastination is a killer of all things productive!

In one of my previous posts, “Leveraging is Everything” I proposed 10 ways to leverage your time by owning your schedule. Owning your schedule can be an important tool to help you avoid procrastination. Sticking to your schedule to complete the biggest and most challenging tasks at the beginning of the day can be a secret weapon for your productivity. When you let procrastination win, then you let it dictate how you live you life. And it never wants you to be productive. But you’re strong! Stay strong to your schedule and you’ll build a first defense.

I’ve mentioned the rock analogy before and I’ll mention again– if you put a rock in a cup and then pour sand in it, it all seems to fit. But if you put sand in a cup then try adding a rock, it won’t fit! So if you do the big tasks first in your day and stay disciplined – then you will run your day vs. it running you.

Do it first, not last!

If you’ve ever read Brian Tracy’s “Eat That Frog!” you may recognize the old phrase, “If the first thing you do each morning is eat a live frog, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’re done with the worst thing you’ll have to do all day.” Brian Tracy interprets this metaphorically in his encouragement to complete the biggest, most challenging task done first in your day so that the rest of your day is more productive with the biggest task out of the way. (I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for an additional resource to help you stay on track!)

Its funny how that works – but it is true! If you do what you don’t want to do first in your day, then you know it can only get better from there. When you do this you’ll find that your attitude is more positive, energy levels are higher since there’s no wasted time & energy dreading a task, and more can be completed in the day when its out of the way.

5 Second Phrases

Sometimes even when I leverage my schedule to complete the big tasks first in the day, I still need an extra boost to face the beast! I’ve found that taking 5 seconds to reorient myself at the task gives my brain a short “pep talk” that’s just enough to get started and launch into action. These 5 second phrases consist of a few variations since my feelings and needs vary on the daily!

Here are a few different 5 second scenarios that I have found help kill procrastination and launch me into productivity.

Sometimes a quick “5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Let’s GO!” countdown is enough to do the trick since my brain has been trained that action must be initiated after a countdown ends.

This is a great place to start. There really is something to counting down from 5 to 0 that can help take the first step. Try it, I’m sure you’ll find the same!

But sometimes I need more than a countdown. When my brain is too tired to be tricked, the other items below help.

“Got my coffee, lets be a boss lady!”

Its a quirky phrase but helps motivate me to open my computer and tackle the task when the brain trick doesn’t give me enough stamina to take the first step. I normally use this one around 3:30- 4am when the kids are sleeping and the world is quiet, I have found that if I can get going at this time then my focus is the best and I feel most productive the rest of the day by starting my day with a head start. Find the time of day & environment where you can focus best, and try to build that component into completing your task.

“If I work for 30 minutes I’ll take 30 seconds.”

Give yourself something – whether a stretch, snack, or coffee break – to look forward to, and you’ll find that it changes the approach to a task, even a daunting task. Knowing that a reward is waiting for you when you reach a “mile-marker” sometimes gives you the motivation to work for it until you find the momentum on your own to get it done.

“If I don’t work, I don’t eat & my kids don’t eat.”

If you have a family motivating you to keep working hard then this can be a strong motivator to at least get you started in the task…which is sometimes the hardest part! Once you’ve started the task though your motivation for completing it will change, so using this as a short term motivator can be helpful but don’t rely on it as a long term motivator. For more about Motivators, see my post “Motivators, Mentors & Mindset.”

“I won’t waste my time, I won’t waste my life”

Time is too valuable to be wasted. Giving procrastination power over a task gives it the power to steal time away from you that you’ll never get back. This determined reminder helps me hone in my focus so that I don’t fall into the time vacuum trap of procrastination.

Maintain your strict schedule, leverage your time, and use these 5 second phrases to launch your focus & productivity to the next level & you’ll be a game-changer!

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