In this article, I discuss a simple but effective strategy to help overcome a lack of motivation to engage in activities which can help to alleviate depression.
One of the fundamental elements of treatment for depression is ‘behavioural activation’ in which the depressed individual practices engaging in activities which are likely to have a positive impact on their mood. These include pleasurable activities like going for coffee with a friend and mastery activities in which the individual is accomplishing something–such as going for a run or doing the dishes.
A common obstacle to achieving the goal of behavioural activation is that the individual may claim not to have the motivation to engage in the activities which they and their psychologist agree would likely have beneficial effects on their mood. This sentiment might be expressed by the client stating, “I know it would be good for my mood to have coffee with one of my friends or go for a walk, but I just don’t have the energy and the motivation to do those things.”
On the face of it, the client and their psychologist are stuck in a Catch-22 in which the client feels powerless to engage in activities which would likely have good effects on their mood because they are lacking in some elusive ‘motivation’ and ‘energy’. One way of getting out of this apparent stuck position is to use the ‘five-minute rule’ which was introduced to me by renowned psychologist Dr. Christine Padesky. In the following sections, I will describe the rule and indicate how it can be used to help depressed individuals overcome lack of motivation and energy as obstacles to engaging in mood-enhancing activities.
Description of the five-minute rule
The five-minute rule involves trying an activity for just five minutes. In depression counselling, the psychologist and client agree that after doing the activity for five minutes the client is free either to continue the activity or stop doing it. For example, the client may agree to go for a walk but is permitted to stop after five minutes and still receive ‘credit’ for having engaged in the activity.
Beneficial effects of using the five-minute rule
Many clients report after engaging in an activity for five minutes that they wish to continue doing so beyond five minutes. They further report that engaging in the activity has had a positive effect on their moods.
Clients also report that using the five-minute rule gives them increased confidence that they are able to take action to improve their mood when they initially may lack the motivation or energy to do so. This increased confidence is fuelled by a change in thinking regarding the relationship between motivation/energy and action. That is, prior to using the five-minute rule many clients believe only that motivation and energy lead to action and are necessary elements preceding action. After applying the rule, clients report awareness of the reverse causal view of the relationship—that action can increase motivation and energy.
This discovery typically arises when clients discover that their motivation and energy have improved after having engaged in an activity for five minutes. The boost in motivation and energy as a result of action then usually results in their wanting to continue the activity. The ultimate benefit they derive is an improvement in their mood and alleviation of their depressive symptoms. I have seen clients benefit from using the five-minute rule in my work as a Calgary psychologist and a Cochrane psychologist.
So if the thought of engaging in an activity to improve your mood seems daunting, try doing it for five minutes. You will be pleasantly surprised by the results.
May you practice the five-minute rule and enjoy its benefits,
-Dr. Pat
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