The short answer: Don't wait to feel like it. Set a timer for five minutes, start the task, and give yourself permission to stop when it ends. Most of the resistance is in starting, not in doing.
Why you don't feel like it
You're probably waiting for motivation to arrive first. It rarely does, and the longer you wait, the heavier the task feels. That's not a character flaw. Your brain is avoiding the discomfort of starting, not the work itself.
The rule
Five minutes. That's the whole commitment. You're not promising to finish, or to do it well. You're only promising to begin.
How to use it
- Pick one task. Not your whole list. The thing you've been putting off.
- Shrink it to a first step. "Write the report" becomes "open the document and write one sentence." "Go for a run" becomes "put your shoes on and walk out the door."
- Set a timer for five minutes and start. When it ends, you're allowed to stop.
Often you won't want to. Starting changes how the task feels. That's what we mean by action precedes motivation: the feeling follows the movement, not the other way round.
When you do stop
Stopping after five minutes still counts. You showed up, and that makes tomorrow's start easier. Don't beat yourself up. Just do it again.
Want to go further?
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