The Trichotillomania Five-Minute Reset

The Five-Minute Reset

A recent revisit to James Clear’s work and specifically a quote of his about the power of five minutes was a reminder that many of his recommendations resonate with the struggles of hair-pulling, trichotillomania.

This article will reflect on this quote from James:

"Five minutes of exercise and you are back on the path. Five minutes of writing and the manuscript is moving forward again. Five minutes of conversation and the relationship is restored.

It doesn’t take much to feel good again."

As many of us recognize, hair pulling is sadly often a long-term condition that is not linear in recovery or management. The oversimplified pressure from well-meaning people to 'just stop' can feel reductive, but that does not mean we can't work towards a better approach.

Here are three recommendations from the Strands Five-Minute philosophy:

1) Aim for Progress Over Perfection​
Aiming for perfection with our condition can feel like setting ourselves up for failure and be an unhelpful approach. Instead, start with smaller, more manageable aims and set yourself an achievable goal, e.g., five minutes without pulling, to initiate a more positive cycle.

2) Gift Five Minutes to Yourself​
If progress on overall hair pulling feels insurmountable, it does not mean that you cannot feel better today than you did yesterday. Consider other areas where you can make a difference: your body, your sleep, your diet. Try five minutes of stretching, a five-minute walk outside, or maybe five minutes each hour with your phone in another room. Set your intention, set the timer—go!

3) Gift Five Minutes to Others​
When experiencing a condition that holds high levels of stigma and feelings of isolation, building a community and support network is vital. Prioritise allocating five minutes to intentionally connect with others. You could set yourself five minutes every Friday morning to send a message to someone you have not spoken to in a while or to send a kind note of appreciation. Spreading positivity not only feels good for us but also leaves the recipient feeling valued when they may really need that lift—and who knows—they may even pay the kind gesture forward. Win, win!

In short, remember that incremental progress is still progress, so let's grab those five minutes, and make them count!