WELLNESS
We're sure by this point in the year, everything is feeling a little... frazzled. Sure it's been magical but now you'd like to stop cooking, entertaining, tidying and quite possibly talking for the foreseeable future. We get you. Although these five minute resets are perfect for this time (you can reasonably hide in a spare room or cupboard and take 5 minutes for yourself) they are also habits that you can implement for the rest of the year too.
Below are four five-minute resets, each designed to address a different kind of overload. So save this page and come back to it whenever you need a moment.
1. The Nervous System Reset
For when life feels tense, rushed, or slightly overwhelming.
This reset is about signalling safety to the body.
Sit or stand with both feet firmly on the ground. Place one hand on your chest and one on your lower ribs. Breathe slowly through the nose, allowing the ribcage to expand rather than lifting the shoulders.
Inhale for four counts.
Exhale for six to eight counts.
Continue for five minutes, keeping the breath soft and unforced. If the mind wanders, bring attention back to the sensation of breath moving through the body.
This reset is especially effective before meetings, difficult conversations, or at the end of a long workday when adrenaline hasn’t quite switched off.
2. The Mental Clarity Reset
For when your mind feels scattered or overfull.
This is a cognitive reset, not a relaxation exercise.
Take a piece of paper or open a notes app. Set a timer for three minutes and write down everything that feels mentally unfinished. Tasks, reminders, worries, half-formed ideas. No structure, no editing.
When the timer ends, stop writing. Circle one item that would meaningfully simplify the rest of the list if completed.
Spend the remaining two minutes planning only that task. Not doing it, just defining the first clear step.
This reset works because it moves thoughts out of your head and into a container. Clarity follows almost immediately.
3. The Physical Reset
For when your body feels stiff, heavy, or drained.
Mental fatigue often lives in the body.
Stand up. Roll your shoulders slowly. Gently twist from side to side. Stretch your arms overhead and open the chest. Finish by bending forward slightly, letting the head and neck relax.
This is not a workout. It is a circulation reset.
Two to three minutes of movement is enough to increase blood flow and wake the body without requiring effort or motivation. Finish with a few slow breaths and notice the shift in energy.
This reset is ideal mid-afternoon or after long periods of sitting.
4. The Sensory Reset
For when you feel overstimulated or irritable.
Sometimes the issue isn’t stress, it’s too much input.
Lower the lights if possible. Put your phone on silent. Choose one calming sensory cue: warm water on your wrists, a subtle fragrance, a piece of music, or simply closing your eyes.
Spend five minutes focusing on that single sensation. No multitasking. No scrolling.
This reset works by reducing sensory demand and allowing the nervous system to recalibrate naturally.