The Five-second Rule: Food for thought

By Debbie Kerr

​The five-second rule has taken on a whole new meaning for me. While the rule generally applies to how long food can remain on the floor and still be safe to eat,  I’ve found that it’s the maximum amount of time that can elapse between when I think of doing something and when I do it.  While this may seem like a straight-forward rule (that is, have the thought and complete the task right away), there are several risk factors that could make even five seconds too long.

​Recognizing Risk Factors
Since memory (or lack thereof) is a personal experience, I’m sure you have a few of your own. Here are a few potential risk factors for me.

• You have to go somewhere else to complete the task.  You are almost doomed if you have to go from one floor to another. If you have to go to the store to complete your task, the risk is even higher that you will come home with everything but the item that triggered the trip to the store. The longer the distance, the greater the risk that the task will not be completed in the first attempt.
• You become distracted when you see something that reminds you of another task. If you’ve ever gone downstairs to bring up another roll of paper towel only to glance at the dryer and realize that you haven’t folded the laundry yet.  Proud to complete this task, you are excited to think that you actually remembered why you went into the basement. It’s not until you reach for a paper towel again that you realize that the laundry was just a bonus memory. You did forget to complete your original task. Suddenly you feel slightly deflated again, but you gain the opportunity to get some exercise.
• You are asked a question. Listening to a question and answering it requires a lot of concentration so be kind to yourself when you forget what you were trying to do. Face it. All hope of remembering your task was lost as soon as the person approached you.  If you actually manage to remember your task, you are extremely special and deserve high-fives from everyone around you. Take the rest of the day off. You deserve it.  
• You are asked to complete a task. Since this is not your own thought, you have to take the added steps of understanding the request, converting the request to how you think, and then break down the request into the steps that are required to make the request a reality. Who knew this simple concept was really so complicated?  Combine interpretation with memory issues and you really have a problem on your hands. Confidence. Dig deep for it.
• You have to go to the bathroom or are in a rush for some other reason. This situation takes distraction to a whole new level. In fact, you are required to make a judgement call. Can you wait to go to the bathroom and complete your task first or is it better to just give into nature’s call and find some way to remember what you were trying to get done? The only winning combination is remembering to get more toilet paper before you head for the bathroom.  That’s a no brainer.

Reducing the Risk(s)
Since I have my own memory issues, I may not be the best person to make suggestions. Here are a few suggestions (some actually useful and others tongue in cheek).

• Repeat the thought out loud. This gives you several options. You can repeat the word over and over again until you reach your destination. If you have the right technology, maybe that technology will remember it for you. You could even dictate your task into your phone and then play it back.
• Create a no fly/question zone. When people with questions approach you and see your look of concentration, they are not allowed to talk to you until you say the word “victory”, which indicates that you have successfully completed your task and it is now okay to approach you. You may even want to fake concentration even when you don’t need to complete some task. This ploy may be something to use to give yourself some quiet time.
• Try to have your thought in the same location where the task has to be completed. This action will increase the odds that you can start and possibly complete your task within the five-second period. For example, if your paper towels are in a pantry on the main floor (instead of the basement) and that’s where you are usually located, you will increase the odds that you can remember your task. Even with this adjustment, it’s still possible to walk into a room and forget why you walked there. This is a prime example of why you can only reduce risk. You can’t entirely remove it.    
• Ask people to complete their own tasks instead of asking you to do them. This approach helps to build character and develop good working habits in the people around you.
• Meditate, which has multiple benefits. It helps to clear your mind so there is actually room to remember the task you are trying to complete.  Meditation also helps you to focus, which reduces the risk of distraction.
• Hold your hands on either side of your head, like blinders, so you are less likely to see something that will distract you into believing you were on your way to do something completely different. This option has a risk of its own. Be careful on the stairs. The odd position of your hands could affect your balance.
• Get others involved in your memory game. Say, “Remind me to do <insert activity here>.” Now the pressure is off you. If the task is not completed, it is not technically your fault.  You didn’t forget. Someone else did. 
• When applicable, take a sample with you. If you are out of paper towel (I seem to be stuck on this example), bring the roll with you or the last piece so you know what you are supposed to bring back. Heck, bring a whole lot of samples/triggers so you can stroke a lot of items off your to-do list.
• Group tasks. For example, you can group tasks based on where you need to complete them. All tasks to be completed in the basement get grouped together. All tasks associated with cleaning the bathroom are grouped so that you are really only remembering one big task.  

Being Kind to Yourself
Although it’s frustrating to continually forget what you were trying to do, be kind to yourself. Your own frustration can sabotage your memory. The more pressure you put on yourself, the worse your memory might become. There are also factors like age, current events in your life (stress), medications, and health issues that could be affecting your memory. Your memory issues may be something to discuss with your doctor.  
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While an elephant may never forget, a human is likely to forget something. Be kind to yourself. After all, you're only human.