I stumbled upon Mel Robbins and her five-second rule for motivation, or more precisely, a lack of motivation, by pure chance. It floated into my newsfeed, and it caught my eye. I wanted to know if this five-second rule worked or not, but unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find any research or peer-reviewed journals that have investigated it. However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work; it just means no one has set up a research project to find out yet.
Thus, I thought I’d write about it and see what my readers thought. And if you give it a try, getting your feedback on how effective it is would be amazing. Pop your results in the comment section at the end of this article.
What Is The Five-Second Rule Proposed By Mel Robbins
Most of you likely know the five-second rule from its use regarding food, especially from when we were children. The belief is that if we pick up the food we’ve dropped within five seconds, it’ll somehow still be safe to eat. But that’s not how germs work, so please don’t do that.
Instead, let’s switch out the five-second rule for food for the five-second rule for overcoming procrastination. Here’s how the five-second rule is meant to work, according to Mel Robbins: at its core, this rule is about getting us to act within five seconds of having a thought about a goal or task to do. This stops us from letting procrastination wedge itself in and/or causing overthinking.
How To Apply The Five-Second Rule To A Lack Of Motivation, According To Mel Robbins
Identify the urge/idea
When we have a thought or get the instinct to act on something, like a goal, then initiate the five-second rule to avoid not doing anything about it (Johnson, 2017). For example, when we have a thought like, “I should put that away”.
Count down
Because we can’t achieve anything if we don’t start, when we have that thought or instinct, it’s time to start counting back from five. 5-4-3-2……
Time to act
When we get to the count of one, if not before, we act. We must physically move and take the first tiny step towards that task or goal. Don’t think about it, just move. So if it’s to put something away, stand up. If it’s to write something in your journal, grab a pen.
What Makes The Five-Second Rule By Mel Robbins Effective
As Mel Robbins has stated, “Motivation is complete and utter rubbish… because it is never there when you need it” (Shacklock, 2025), and I agree. Motivation is extremely fickle, and at least for me, it only appears as a result of the completion bias.
Bypasses overthinking
Our brains are wired to keep us safe, and often, that means avoiding discomfort or effort. The five-second rule gives us a small window to bypass the rationalisation, excuses, and fear that can quickly derail an initial impulse to act.
Creates momentum
Motivating ourselves to do anything, especially something that isn’t fun, whether it’s getting up earlier or decluttering our home, is far easier said than done (Shacklock, 2025). The hardest part is often just starting. By taking that tiny initial action, we create a sense of momentum. Once we’re in motion, it’s often easier to continue than it was to start.
Develops a habit of action
Engaging in the five-second rule regularly trains our brain to associate an idea with immediate action rather than procrastination. Over time, this should help us build a stronger sense of self-efficacy and reduce the stranglehold procrastination has over us.
Interrupts procrastination loops
Procrastination often involves getting stuck in a loop of thinking about the task, feeling overwhelmed, and then distracting ourselves. The five-second rule breaks this loop by forcing an immediate physical response.
Focuses on the present
As mindfulness likes to remind us, it’s beneficial to live in the present, and this shifts our focus from the overwhelming entirety of the task to just the very next immediate action.
Summary
The five-second rule by Mel Robbins fits the knowledge I already know about tackling a lack of motivation, self-discipline, and SMART goal setting as well. Breaking things down into smaller, more manageable chunks works. Creating a five-second rule to take the most basic action to get the ball rolling sounds like it should also work.
However, it’s important to remember that the five-second rule isn’t a magic bullet. What works for one person might not work for someone else. It’s just another tool to help us start. It won’t eliminate the need for effort or discipline to complete the task. So start small and take the rule out for a few practice runs to see how it goes. This will also help build confidence for when we need to tackle bigger things.
As always, leave your feedback in the comments section below. Also, please share your experiences with the five-second rule for motivation, as outlined by Mel Robbins in the comments section below as well. Don’t forget, if you want to stay up-to-date with my blog, you can sign up for my newsletter below. Alternatively, click the red bell icon in the bottom right corner to get push notifications for new articles.
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References
Johnson, B. (2017). The 5 second rule: Transform your life, work, and confidence with everyday courage. PhilosophersNotes. Retrieved from https://immersionheaters.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/the-5-second-rule.pdf.
Shacklock, E. (2025, June). Mel Robbins’ “5-second rule” is the motivation hack to try when you wake up tomorrow. Woman & Home. Retrieved from https://www.womanandhome.com/life/mel-robbins-five-second-rule-motivation-hack.
