Show table of content Hide table of content
According to Bill Gates, the secret to increased productivity could lie in a surprisingly simple habit: devoting one hour a day to learning. Let’s take a closer look at the ‘five-hour rule’, a practice adopted by many entrepreneurs to maximise their efficiency.
We live in a hectic world, where information overload and constant distractions threaten our concentration. Procrastination is a real scourge, and finding ways to improve productivity has become a crucial issue. Many people turn to complex techniques or expensive tools, often unaware that a simple and effective solution already exists: the famous five-hour rule. Popularised by author Michael Simmons, this strategy involves dedicating one hour a day, or five hours a week, to deliberately learning new skills. The practice may seem simplistic, but its impact on performance and personal development can be revolutionary. The secret is regularity.
It is based on three fundamental pillars that support the five-hour rule: reading, reflection and experimentation:
Reading as a source of inspiration and knowledge
The first step towards acquiring new skills is absorbing information. Reading, in all its forms (books, articles, blogs, podcasts), offers access to an ocean of knowledge and new ideas. It also develops curiosity, and before you know it you’re interested in subjects you’d never have looked at before. Bill Gates, for example, is a fervent believer in the five-hour rule, devoting around an hour a day to reading. He claims that this practice has enabled him to acquire an in-depth understanding of various subjects and to keep abreast of the latest developments.
Reflection: internalising and organising knowledge
Learning is more than simply accumulating information. It’s crucial to take the time to reflect on what you’ve learned, digest the concepts and organise them in a coherent way. Meditation, journaling or simply a discussion with a friend or mentor can be effective ways of encouraging reflection. This can be done in as little as 1 hour a day.
Experimentation: putting knowledge into practice
Theory is important, but practice is essential. The five-hour rule encourages you to put what you’ve learned into practice, to experiment and to explore new ideas. Elon Musk, known for his mind that develops 1,000 things at once, applies the five-hour rule to test and develop his bold ideas. His experimental approach has enabled him to revolutionise entire industries, from cars to space exploration.
This is how SpaceX broke the traditional model of modelling and theorising for years to come up with a rocket. The space company tests, fails, learns and tries again. A way of doing things that is ultimately faster and surprisingly cheaper.
News Here’s the sport to prioritize after 60 (and no, it’s not walking).
Applying the five-hour rule is simple, but requires discipline, regularity and planning.
- Choose a subject you’re passionate about: Motivation is essential to sustain learning over the long term.
- Set yourself clear and precise objectives: Define what you want to learn and how you will measure your progress.
- Plan your time: Set aside an hour each day for learning, preferably when you are most concentrated. This often happens in the morning after waking up. Your ideas from the night are well organised and allow new information to come in.
- Be flexible: Don’t hesitate to adjust your approach according to your needs and progress. The last thing you want is to be so rigid that you give up as soon as you miss a day or two.
- Congratulate yourself on your successes: Recognising your progress will keep you motivated and committed.
It’s important to point out that the five-hour rule is not a magic formula, but a strategy for boosting your productivity, stimulating your creativity and developing your full potential. It’s not a magic science, and it may not even be the right method for you. But what it does teach us is that you have to try in order to progress and develop.
