Through a health and wellness session at the Pennsylvania Conference of Women on November 1, 2013 I learned that there are ways to minimize the impact of a stressful work load and become a healthier, happier you. With this being said I propose a challenge, a challenge that Mel Robbins presented to a group of hundreds of women at this one-day conference. Mel Robbins is a CNN and HLN legal and political contributor, leading female talk radio personalities in the country and the COO of C-4 Analytics. The challenge that she presented to us was the five second challenge. She explained that how with just five seconds along with a few simple changes you can improve your daily routine.
So what exactly is this five-second rule and why should you use it every day? The idea behind the five second rule is taking five seconds to take physical action on any idea, thought or concern that runs through your mind. As soon as you think of something important within five seconds perform an action based on that thought. You can write the idea down, tell someone about it, schedule it in your agenda, send an email related to it, or ask a question to someone concerning it. Don’t wait, don’t think, just do. For me most of all my stress comes from the fact that I cannot make a decision to save my life. Performing an act within five seconds after it runs through your head will exercise the muscle of “just pick”.
Mel Robbins also showed us how we can implement the five-second rule to other aspects of our lives. We can use five seconds in the very beginning of our day to mentally take off some stress. For example, stop hitting the snooze button. The next time that alarm goes off you should get up within five seconds. An even better idea, take those first five seconds after your alarm goes off to write down your goals for the day then pull yourself together . Do not check your phone until you’ve started your day on YOUR terms. Now this is the hardest part for me, I’m sure I am not the only one who never goes anywhere without my phone, I even sleep with it usually in my hand or next to my pillow. But Mel Robbins got me to understand a simple but important lesson, “if it was important it would be ringing”. It made me realize that she was right, almost every important or urgent message someone needed to get to me they called me, they did not text me. Also she made me realize that when you wake up and read texts or emails from other people its other people’s problems, other people’s to-dos. Don’t we all have enough of our own to-dos, why start our morning off worrying about someone else’s.
When you realize your rent check is due in a week don’t put it off. Instead in no more than five seconds get up, write the check and leave it by the door to be mailed. See, the five second rule can be used every day in multiple ways that will help you get more done and minimize the pressure of accomplishing everything. Lastly, I ask you: are you up for the challenge?
Mel Robbins has done it all, from sharing the stage with Barbra Walters and Donald Trump to appearing on Dr. Phil and Oprah. She is truly a leading female figure we can all look up too. As if her many jobs and activities weren’t enough Mel Robbins is also the founder of The Forty Five. The Forty Five is a website whose mission is to “take 45 seconds of your day to deliver the top four or five trending stories that will positively impact your day while improving the lives of others. With each share, subscription, and visit a percentage of profits will go directly toward funding public education in the United States. Take five seconds to Find out more information here: http://melrobbins.com/forty-five-newsletter