A curt email fired off in frustration. A job accepted in panic. A relationship decision made in the heat of emotion. In moments like these, urgency hijacks judgment—and clarity becomes collateral damage. Enter the 10-10-10 rule, a deceptively simple decision-making framework finding renewed relevance in an age of endless choice and cognitive overload. The technique asks just three questions:
How will this decision feel in 10 days?
In 10 months?
In 10 years?
Popularised by business strategist Suzy Welch in her 2009 book 10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea, the rule works by forcing the mind to stretch a decision across time—allowing emotion and logic to coexist rather than compete. For Divakar, a developer at a Delhi-based tech firm, the rule became a quiet safeguard against professional self-sabotage. “There was a time I would type out angry work emails the moment something went awry,” he says. “Using the 10-10-10 check stopped me cold.” In the moment, venting felt justified. But in 10 days, he knew he’d be repairing trust. In 10 months, that email could shape how colleagues perceived him. “Instead of reacting, I chose a calmer, more thoughtful response.” Over time, the rule spilled into other areas—skipping workouts, overindulging, reacting emotionally at home. “It taught me to think beyond relief and into consequence,” he says.
According to Dr Ume Hani, Consultant Psychiatrist at Sakra World Hospital, Bengaluru, the effectiveness of the 10-10-10 rule is rooted in neuroscience. “When we slow down, we shift control from the amygdala—the emotional centre of the brain—to the prefrontal cortex, which governs reasoning and long-term planning,” she explains. The anterior cingulate cortex, responsible for conflict monitoring, also becomes active, helping balance emotional and logical input. “This reflective break disrupts impulsive decision-making habits,” Dr Hani adds. “Over time, the brain learns to pause naturally, leading to better impulse control, reduced emotional reactivity, and fewer regret-driven loops.” The tool can be particularly helpful for those prone to emotional impulsivity, anxiety-driven decisions, anger dysregulation, and conflict overwhelm.
However, she cautions that the rule isn’t universal. “In people with severe anxiety or depression, OCD, or trauma-related hypervigilance, projecting into the future can worsen rumination or catastrophic thinking.” For them, she recommends using the tool selectively or with professional guidance. Psychotherapist Prerna Dhingra views the rule as an antidote to modern life’s obsession with immediacy. “We live in a world designed for instant responses,” she says. “The 10-10-10 rule helps rebuild a psychological muscle we’re losing: the ability to pause, tolerate uncertainty, and stay connected to long-term values.”
Behaviourally, this pause allows people to identify which emotion is driving a decision—and whether it deserves control. Over time, people learn to respond rather than react.
For Ananya Sen, 29, a marketing strategist based in Kolkata, this shift proved decisive when she faced a job offer requiring an industry switch. Running the 10-10-10 exercise reframed the fear. In 10 days, there would be nerves. In 10 months, new skills, better income, and visibility. In 10 years, the discomfort would be irrelevant—and the leap could define her career.
For Mumbai life and transition coach Garima Gairola, the rule is especially powerful in high-stakes professional choices. “The rule operates on three levels. Immediate impulse, medium-term lifestyle impact, and long-term alignment with values and identity.” Many career conflicts, she notes, stem from moves made without examining who one wants to become. “The 10-year lens forces that awareness.”
To make the rule effective, Gairola recommends pairing it with simple grounding practices—pausing, deep breathing, or naming the dominant emotion. “Once the nervous system settles, clarity follows,” she explains. Journaling and reflection help reinforce the habit. Across disciplines, one truth emerges: the 10-10-10 rule isn’t about predicting outcomes. It’s about creating enough distance from the present moment to choose with intention rather than impulse.