5-minute resets for life and leadership

Jim Farrer July 5, 2023

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Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline asserts,"The most valuable work you do may be done in five seconds to five minutes. A higher vantage point, a brilliant idea, a key change in habit, a break from pressure, a boost in metabolism or a pivotal decision can produce significant, lasting benefits."

Five-minute cognition burst

From a University College of London study published in a CNN report (1/23/23), we find that people who spend "even small amounts of time doing more vigorous activities like brisk walking or taking multiple flights of stairs register higher cognition scores." As little as six minutes produced better short term memory, problem solving and processing skills.

Five-minute fitness

"Micro workouts" such as taking the stairs can have rapid and measurable effects.

A seven-year follow-up of 25,241 non-exercisers in the UK Biobank reported in Nature Medicine (12/8/22) demonstrated that "engaging in three workouts lasting 1-2 minutes a day was significant enough to decrease one's risk of dying…."

That same study found a 48 percent reduction in bothcardiovascular disease and cancer and a 38 percent decrease in all causes of morbidity.

Five minutes to double your calorie burning

A five-minute walk within an hour of arising or within 15 or 30 minutes of eating each meal "may actually double your calorie burning for the next 3 hours or more" according to Harold H. Bloomfield MD in The Power of Five (p. 87).

Five-minute ice water break

Ellington Darden PhD, Director of Research for Nautilus Sports/Medical Industries, asserts that drinking ice cold "water may be the simplest, most powerful key to fat loss" as it requires 200 calories to warm the water to your body's temperature.

In addition, according to George L. Blackburn of Harvard Medical School, "Drinking generous amounts of water is overwhelmingly the number one way to head off food cravings and reduce appetite."

Five-second pain release

Bonnie Prudden, a pioneer in the start-up of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports in the 1950s, developed her myotherapy method from Janet Travell MD, the White House physician, who helped to keep President John F. Kennedy's back pain in check. In Prudden's book Pain Erasure she advises that when you have pain or soreness, go to that area and begin pressing in with your thumb or knuckle. After locating the painful spot, push in slowly and gently, hold for five to seven seconds and release slowly. You can then move by one-half inch increments down a line of muscles or around the area. This myotherapy or muscle therapy should be a first resort to alleviating aches and pains.

Five seconds to remember names

Douglas J. Herrman PhD of the University of Maryland gives this advice when being introduced to someone for the first time: Say the name to yourself under your breath, keep repeating it, wait an extra second each time until there are four to five seconds between the repetitions.

Five-minute ministry

Alan E. Nelson, author of Five-Minute Ministry, believes that 80 percent of ministry potential lies within five-minute opportunities. Jesus did much of his ministry in brief encounters. Sometimes these short situations opened doors for extended ministry as when Jesus called forth each of his disciples or asked Zaccheus to come down from the tree. In the same way, while in today's culture texting is quick, texts are rarely saved. Whereas a brief thinking-of-you note or way-to-go postcard may make a more lasting impact.

Five-second reframe

In Anger Kills (p. 147), Redford Williams MD and Virginia Williams PhD report that a five-second "perspective switch" can be used in day-to-day conversations that may decline into angry exchanges. The key is to pause and "walk" five seconds in the other's shoes. This brief interval affords time to build tolerance toward the other while recognizing a different viewpoint.

More than five minutes

While we have discussed how short methods can bring remarkable change, some things take longer. Harvard professor Judith Wurtman's research maintains that eating protein alone and then waiting 20 minutes before consuming carbohydrates awakens the brain. Those in the study were able to concentrate and perform mental tasks nearly twice as well as those who consumed foods which were comprised almost entirely of carbohydrates.

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Jim Farrer is the founder of Vital Signs Church Consulting and a member of the Society for Church Consulting. A broadly-trained church consultant, Jim is also a veteran of ministry positions in Canada and the U.S., he has trained leaders from 18 denominations and led seminars and coaching sessions nationwide. His articles have been published in the Journal of Evangelism and Missions and the Great Commission Research Journal. You can reach him by e-mailing revup1@yahoo.com or calling 814 629-5211. Learn More »

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