PP 087: The Power of Five

Quick Show Notes: The Power of Five

Taking quick breaks – even five-minute breaks – to reduce emotional and physical clutter can help de-stress our day and surroundings. Listen as I share the Power of Five technique I use on a daily basis.

Resources Mentioned

Perfectly Imperfect

Episode Transcription: The Power of Five

In Episode 85 I talked about being “Perfectly Imperfect” and as a mom of five – I want to follow this up with a strategy, that I use each and every day to help me from getting overwhelmed, and also to help me to get more done. I’m going to call this strategy “The Power of Five” probably because I do have five kids. But, as you’re listening, I want you to know that the same strategy can work with you even if you adjust the number.

The Power of Five

For me the power of five is chunking together five minute increments or activity blocks around the number of five. This helps me get things done.

An example of the Power of Five in action is that every time I stand up from my desk and go out to another room in my house, I will make an effort to pick up five items that are out of place and put them away, throw them away, put them in the sink. I think you get my picture. Also, if I find myself with five minutes in between phone calls or between task list items, I will take those five minutes to see what else I can get done. Sometimes that means running down to the basement and throwing in a load of laundry, folding what’s already there, or maybe doing a few dishes.

You may have heard me already talk about in a previous episode that my older children do chores and these are actually two of their chores. But if I know that we have a lot going on I will take those five minutes to pitch in and help. These five minute breaks may also mean that I tackle something on my Personal To Do List that I haven’t scheduled into my workday. I may call a family member or friend. I may follow up on bill. But whenever I’m doing, this is in five minute or five object increments so that I don’t feel overwhelmed.

The Power of Five Doesn’t Mean Perfection

There’s no entrepreneur rule that says that every item in my office always needs to be perfect. These five minute increments allow me a quick break from my desk so tha, I can throw toys into the toy box and get that clutter out of my mind.

Whether it’s five minutes, 10 minutes or two minutes, I want you to take a look at the things that you want to get done in a day. These are the things that would help you declutter your mind, and free up your imagination for all the other greatness that you want to work on. Make a list of these items. You don’t have to have that list in front of you all the time, but just think about what you could get done in two, five or ten minute segments. I wouldn’t recommend having it be any longer because that can be stressful. In these short breaks, however, you can get a lot done. This IS the power of five.

There are days that I gamify these breaks. I see how much I can get done, and the next time I do these tasks, I will push myself harder. I mean this in a fun way, in a gaming way. I love to challenge myself to see how much I can accomplish during a five minute break. Just remember, though, that this should not be a stressful activity. This should be something that helps you de-stress your life and help you move on in a positive and productive manner.

With all this said, go forth, embrace the power of five, and have a positive and productive day.