Try This New 5-Second Rule That Has Nothing to Do With Food! by Anneli Riismaa

When we speak about a 5-second rule, most of us think of food on the floor. I would like to encourage us to follow a different 5-second rule. The rule is: do not reply to anything (text, email, question, social media post, request, demand, etc.) that is sudden, negative or provocative for five seconds. It is hard, I know. However, if we delay our reactions for even one second, it will make a huge difference on how we react. A few seconds delay will:

• Change our tone of voice
• Change our choice of words
• Make a potential emotional tsunami into a nice 6-foot wave (and everyone can handle that wave)

Instead of escalating a potential emotionally charged situation, we de-escalate it and save everyone's day – including our own.