TIP-028 – The “Half the Effort” Rule

Reset, Tips

What This Tip Does

Sometimes stress comes not from what you’re doing, but from how hard you’re pushing.
The “Half the Effort” Rule is a fast psychological reset:
👉 You intentionally drop your effort by 50% for 5–10 seconds.
This interrupts pressure, breaks perfection tension, and brings your system back to normal load.

How to Use It (10 Seconds)

  1. Notice you’re straining — mentally, physically, or emotionally.
  2. Tell yourself: “Half the effort.”
  3. Reduce pressure:
    • Loosen your shoulders
    • Soften your focus
    • Slow the micro-pace of what you’re doing
    • Allow your brain to work at 50% intensity
  4. Stay there for a few seconds.
  5. Return to normal effort with more clarity and less tension.

This creates a quick nervous-system decompression.
Your body stops fighting, and your mind regains space.

Why It Works

When you’re overloaded, the brain automatically increases tension.
Reducing effort by half sends a safety signal:

“I’m not in danger; I can slow down.”

This interrupts the stress loop, improves micro-control, and stabilizes attention.

When to Use It

  • When you catch yourself rushing
  • When your mind feels “too tight”
  • During work, conversations, or problem-solving
  • When anxiety tries to speed you up
  • When perfectionism begins to squeeze your thinking

Follow-up:

For an easy entry point, try TIP-043 – The “Zero Pressure” Start.

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