Activation Energy: The hardest part of any task is starting. Reducing the initial "activation energy" is the key to productivity.

Your brain resists tasks it perceives as large or painful. By committing to only 5 minutes, you trick your brain into starting. In most cases, once you've begun, the momentum (known as the Zeigarnik effect) will carry you far past the 5-minute mark.

The 5-Minute Promise: The next time you feel "stuck" on a high-value task, set a 5-minute timer. Give yourself full permission to stop when it dings. You must work with 100% focus for those 300 seconds. Write down the task you will use this on tomorrow.