The Science Behind "Just Getting Started"
Karolina Przewloka LaBrecque
Stressed out? | Helping gifted, and talented professionals manage stress and find balance in their work, business, and life | Keynote Speaker | Workshop Facilitator | Detangling the Tangle and Stress "Slayer"
Newton’s First Law of Motion states: "An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion."
The same is true for productivity. The hardest part of any task is simply getting started. Once you begin, the inertia carries you forward.
?? Psychologists call this the Zeigarnik Effect—our brains don’t like unfinished tasks, so once we start something, we feel naturally inclined to continue. This principle is widely used in many modalities including the Miller's Method approach to ASD.
How to Use the 5-Minute Rule Today
?? Avoiding a tough email? Open your inbox and type the first sentence.
?? Struggling to start a report? Set a timer for five minutes and just write.
?? Haven’t exercised in a while? Commit to stretching or walking for five minutes.
?? Putting off cleaning your workspace? Tidy up for five minutes.
Chances are, once you begin, you’ll keep going—because momentum kicks in.
领英推荐
A Real-Life Example: The Website That Almost Didn’t Happen
One of my clients wanted to launch a website but kept delaying it. The fear of getting it wrong had them stuck in a cycle of avoidance.
I suggested the 5-Minute Rule: "Just spend five minutes writing the homepage intro."
Guess what happened?
That five minutes turned into three hours. The homepage was written. Then the services page. Then the contact page. By the end of the night, the website was live.
Why? Because starting is the hardest part.
Your Challenge: Try It Today
?? What’s one task you’ve been avoiding?
You don’t have to finish it. You just have to begin.
?? Let me know in the comments—what’s your 5-minute task today?
? Follow Help To Grow Institute for more practical strategies to work smarter, stress less, and grow in business and life.
Entrepreneur, CFO, Wine Educator, Non-Tax CPA, Superconnector. Follow for posts around wine, fire safety, capital markets, accounting & finance, and my journey.
3 周I think I'm going to spend 5 minutes calling all of the people to do the things I need to get done! Enjoy the weekend! ??