Get the most out of your days with the 5-hour rule

If you feel like you’ve been working hard day in and day out but you’re not yet reaping the benefits of your hard work, you could get discouraged. But what if we were to tell you that you’ve been going about it all wrong? That there’s a better way to move up in your life and turn a wasted day into a more successful one?

The 5-hour rule has been followed by all the greats, including Oprah, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. Read on to find out how you can implement it to get the most out of your day, or week, and climb up the ladder of success just as well as these guys did.

What is the 5-hour rule?

The anatomy of everyone’s day is the same: we all have a standard 24 hours to accomplish whatever we need to. But, sometimes, you might find yourself struggling to get your tasks done. This is where the 5-hour rule comes in to save the day.

It’s based on the idea of setting aside time during the day to consciously learn or practice a new skill. Ideally, you should be dedicating at least one hour every workday to help you with both your personal and professional development.

So how do you get the best out of your day with the 5-hour rule?

How to use the 5-hour rule

No matter what you already know about a certain niche, expanding your knowledge and learning something new can have huge benefits in the long run. You can split your time for a well-rounded learning experience into the following three categories:

Reading: spending an hour a day reading can help you relax and unwind. It’s an easy and convenient way to grow your knowledge over time. Try varying your materials and topics to get the most out of it. You can benefit from adding reading goals to your learning, so aim for a certain number of chapters or books over a specified period. It’s reported that Bill Gates reads about 50 books a year and that’s where his main learning comes from.

Reflecting: looking back at what you have learnt is a key way to help you develop. It not only helps with tracking your progress, but also prevents you from getting distracted. Keeping a journal where you jot down what you’ve learnt is a good start. You can also have discussions with other people or share your learning experience online. Thinking about your future plans is another good way to reflect on what you’ve learnt because you will look forward to the opportunity to apply those skills.

Experimenting: once you’ve read about and learnt something new, it’s time to put it into practice. Spend a few hours a week experimenting with your new ideas and theories. This will help you become more creative in your thinking and be more innovative. Don’t be disheartened by any failures, they’re also a learning curve for you to find areas of improvement for next time.

The advantages of the 5-hour rule

The 5-hour rule encourages you to develop more skills and become creative with your thinking. It has a lot of benefits and you can use the 5-hour rule to:

• • Develop your skills – you’re likely to keep learning new things and testing out your knowledge so you’re constantly in a state of receiving new information.

• • Improve your learning speed – as you keep learning new things, you also develop a more efficient way of absorbing information. As time goes on, you’ll find it easier and quicker to pick up on new skills.

• • Uncover new skills and interests – in the process of learning and experimenting, you’ll find yourself picking up new interests and hobbies.

• • Improve your personal life – new skills don’t have to just be implemented in your professional life, but in your personal one too. They can help you feel more confident and give you more opportunities.

• • Refresh what you’ve learnt before – because you’re reflecting all the time, you can keep what you’ve learnt fresh in your memory.
• • Reduce procrastinating – because you’ve set aside time dedicated to learning, you become more intentional with your time and won’t want to procrastinate as much.

Ways to increase your learning

Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to styles of learning. Take time to try different ones to find what suits you best. Don’t be afraid to switch it up from time to time to keep the learning interesting. A few suggestions for ways to increase your learning and keep yourself on track and motivated include:

• • Listening to audiobooks and podcasts
  • Joining a book club
  • Taking an online class
  • Speaking to different people from fields that interest you
  • Changing your learning routine, location and materials from time to time

Our tips for getting the most out of the 5-hour rule

The 5-hour rule is a great way to make sure your days are productive and not wasted. Just remember that it should always be a means for you to improve yourself and not overwhelm yourself.

Don’t focus on productivity only, think about how much you’ve been progressing with each hour and learning session.

Don’t confuse working with learning, else you’ll put too much pressure on yourself and will find that you’ll be less productive than before. Keep reflecting on what you’ve been learning to encourage yourself. You can write things down or share your ideas and expertise with others. Teaching is another great way to relearn information and solidify your knowledge.

Be consistent with your learning and you’ll be on your way to a very successful future. Dedicate the time to your development to become the best version of yourself possible.