Are you often distracted and unable to focus on work? Do you feel like you lack discipline? Are you stalling while trying to solve an important problem or understand a complex subject? Help yourself to «get together» by putting into practice this simple rule.
Let’s start with the main one. What you really need is to see the perspective, what the result should be — without it, it will hardly be possible to get to the end point. You can gain perspective by asking yourself three simple questions:
- What will happen to you because of this particular action or decision in 5 minutes?
- After 5 months?
- And after 5 years?
These questions can be applied to just about anything. The main thing is to try to be extremely honest with yourself, not to try to “sweeten the pill” or limit yourself to half-truths. Sometimes for an honest answer you will have to delve into your past, perhaps painful experiences and memories.
How does it work in practice?
Let’s say right now you want to eat a candy bar. What will happen in 5 minutes if you do this? You may experience a surge of energy. Or maybe your arousal will turn into anxiety — for many of us, sugar works that way. In this case, eating a bar should be abandoned, especially since it is likely that the matter will not be limited to one chocolate bar. This means that you will be distracted for a long time, and your work will suffer.
If you postpone an important matter and go to Facebook (an extremist organization banned in Russia), what will happen 5 minutes later? Perhaps you will lose the remnants of your working mood and, moreover, begin to experience a feeling of annoyance that everyone around has a more interesting life than yours. And then — and the blame for the fact that such a mediocre waste of time.
The same can be done with long-term prospects. What will happen to you in 5 months if you don’t sit down now for your textbooks and prepare for tomorrow’s exam? And after 5 years, if in the end you fill up the session?
Of course, none of us can know for sure what will happen in 5 months or years, but some consequences can still be predicted. But if this technique does not cause you anything but skepticism, try the second method.
«Plan B»
If it’s hard for you to imagine what the consequences of your choice may be after some time, then ask yourself: “What would I advise my best friend in this situation?”
Often we understand that our action will not lead to anything good, but we continue to hope that the situation will mysteriously turn in our favor.
A simple example is social media. Usually, scrolling through the tape does not make us happier or more peaceful, it does not give us strength, it does not give us new ideas. And yet the hand reaches for the phone …
Imagine that a friend comes to you and says: “Every time I go to Facebook (an extremist organization banned in Russia), I get restless, I can’t find a place for myself. What do you recommend?» What do you recommend to him? Probably cut back on social media and find another way to relax. It is amazing how much more sober and rational our assessment of the situation becomes when it comes to others.
If you combine the rule of «three fives» with «plan B», you will have a powerful tool in your arsenal — with its help you will gain a sense of perspective, regain your clarity of thought and the ability to focus. So, even stalled, you can make a leap forward.