The 60-Second Pause

A decision protocol before the impulse says yes.

One rule, 60 seconds, three questions. Used for purchases, messages, replies, and the yes-answers you regret.

In short: The 60-Second Pause is a single-rule protocol. When something feels urgent, you wait 60 seconds and answer three questions before you commit. Most impulses lose half their force inside that window. The protocol costs nothing, installs in your head, and works on anything where urgency is the only argument.

Five things to know

How it works

  1. Pause. Notice the urge. Don't act for 60 seconds. Use a timer if you have to.
  2. Ask three questions. Will this matter in 30 days? What would I tell a friend? Is this a felt urge or a chosen reason?
  3. Choose. If the answer is urge, wait longer. If it is reason, decide. The protocol does not say no — it says not yet.

Why it works

The autonomic arousal of a strong impulse drops by roughly half inside one minute (Schachter & Singer, 1962; reproduced in dozens of arousal-attribution studies). The protocol exploits that decay: it forces a 60-second window in which the impulse is no longer at peak intensity, but the choice is still available. By the time you answer the third question, you are deciding from a calmer baseline.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 60-Second Pause?

A single-rule decision protocol. When something feels urgent, wait 60 seconds and answer three questions before committing. Most impulses fade inside that window.

Why 60 seconds specifically?

Long enough for the autonomic arousal of an impulse to drop by roughly half, short enough that people actually do it. Shorter windows fail; longer ones get skipped.

What are the three questions?

Will this matter in 30 days? What would I tell a friend to do? Am I acting from a felt urge or a chosen reason? If the third answer is urge, the protocol says wait longer.

Is this an app or a website?

It is a protocol, not a product. There is a free PWA at stop.pulab.ru for Russian-speaking users. The English-language version is this page; no install required.

What is the 60-Second Pause useful for?

Impulse purchases, angry replies, premature yes-answers, subscription traps, diet slip decisions, and any choice where urgency is the only argument.

The whole protocol fits on one line. Memorise it, use it, give it to one person.

Read the three questions again