Productivity Tip:

Use the 5-Second Rule

Mel Robbins (check out her routine below!) famously invented the “5-Second Rule”—a simple hack to stop thinking and start doing. It goes like this: the moment you feel the urge to take action, count 5-4-3-2-1 and go before your brain talks you out of it. 

This works because you don’t have time to hesitate—goodbye procrastination!

So, next time you’re faced with a daunting or unappealing task, don’t wait for motivation. Count down from five and take the first small step. It shifts you from autopilot to action mode, making it way easier to get started.

Find out more about the 5-Second Rule here. Have you ever used it?

Routine Breakdown

Mel Robbins, Bestselling Author, Motivational Speaker & Podcast Host

How a Productivity Guru Makes Mornings Easy

How important is a healthy morning routine? According to Mel Robbins, it’s like “pouring a foundation for a house you’re going to build—this is what you build on.” She lays out six key steps for brilliant mornings. 

The Routine:

• Resist the snooze button. “Do not lie in bed. Do not hit the snooze button,” says Mel. How to get yourself up? Use the 5-Second Rule, of course! “Counting backwards is this tiny little micro action you can take that starts the momentum rolling.”
• Make your bed. “It makes you feel like a disciplined person, it removes the visual clutter, it prevents you from climbing back in it.”
• High five yourself in the mirror. You’re going to resist doing this, says Mel, but it’s a powerful, science-backed way to create new neural pathways in your brain. It creates a mindset that you like and believe in yourself. “You are your own best teammate,” she says. 
• Hydration before caffeination. “Every single one of us underestimates the crucial role water plays in your body, brain and spirit operating effectively,” says Mel. “Drink a cup of water… and then wait at least an hour for your first cup of coffee.”
• Reset your internal clock. “Get outside and take in morning light.” 
• Take a 10-minute walk. “It immediately boosts your mood. And you get into this optic and auditory flow state […] which quietens your anxiety.” She adds that you can combine morning light and walking.

Why it works:

• “Research shows that lying in bed increases rumination, it makes depression and anxiety worse,” says Mel, highlighting the link between rumination and depression.
• Making your bed is a small step that kicks you off to a positive start, helping you feel more productive for the day.
• High fives may be more powerful than you think! Some research on athletes suggests they can lower cortisol, while a UC Berkeley study on NBA players found that higher levels of touch (like high fives) improved performance.
• Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors, delaying tiredness (rather than curing it). “The caffeine is preventing your brain from flushing this sleepy chemical out,” says Mel. Drinking water first really is best.  
• Morning light exposure is awesome for regulating circadian rhythms. That means you sleep better at night!
• Walking definitely has super benefits, including the calming effect of “optic flow.”

“Systems work when you can do them,” says Mel. “And I don’t want your morning to be so complicated and time consuming that you have to opt out of it.” That’s why she suggests starting with these six simple steps. Check out her full podcast episode here.