4 Ways to Reset Yourself in 5 Minutes

Posted on 1 September 20202 September 2020

This post on ways to reset yourself was kindly written by Kim of Keeping it Mindful. For full details for her blog and social media channels please check below!

In modern-day life, we are bombarded with information. There’s always a multitude of information, notifications, obligations and opinions to get our heads around.

From our family demanding our time & energy, to our jobs expecting more than our best… and notifications flashing up on screens wherever we look, it can be difficult to think and breathe.

It’s no wonder we can feel overwhelmed and stressed at times!

When we feel like this but have to continue with our daily routine. Use these 5-minute reset techniques in this post to ground and reset yourself. This will help you to continue tackling your daily life with a greater sense of ease & certainty.

1. The Brain Dump

This technique is one that I’ve been using for a while & I swear by it. There’s nothing like a good brain dump to help you reset yourself.

The Brain Dump method is as simple as you want to make it! Start by getting a piece of paper and a pen. (If you have a journal that is a great place to do this). And write out everything that is spinning through your head. Everything you feel like you’re trying to process, every task you need to complete, no matter how big or small. Write out thoughts, intentions, to-do lists, events, anything that comes to mind.

There doesn’t need to be any order or organisation to it at this point. Just write until you cannot think of anything else. By introducing this into your routine, it will take less and less time. Eventually you’ll be able to do a brain dump in under two minutes!

The next step is to walk away. Take a few deep breaths, notice & thank yourself for the extra space you’ve just created inside your mind. Make yourself your favourite cup of tea and then take the next step.

Come back to your brain dump list and start to put each item into a category. Rewrite the list in a way that is actionable. With things that need to be addressed quickly first and bigger, longer-term things further down.

This helps you sort through the noise in your head. Removing the agitation and turning it into bitesize tasks that you can easily sort through.

2. The Mindful Reset

This one is open to interpretation a little. Which is so powerful for you because it puts you in the driving seat! There are lots of ways to introduce a little mindfulness. But I’m going to share with you a super simple one below.

Mindfulness allows you to tune into the moment. So even during the busiest of days, when there’s lots going on around you, you can use mindfulness to ground yourself in the present and avoid getting swept along by the chaos.

Even on busy & stressful days, we usually find the time to make a hot beverage. So, next time you need to reset yourself, try this mindful way of having a coffee (or tea!):

1. Decide that you are going to have this moment, where no outside information will interfere… it’s just while you are making a drink – you deserve this time and the world can wait for you!
2. Pick out your favourite mug. It doesn’t matter what it is. Just focus on the feelings your favourite cup brings you. Any joyful memories, the way it feels when you hold it, the patterns on the porcelain…
3. Watch the way the water fills up the kettle. Listen to all the different sounds the kettle makes as it boils the water.
4. With intention, tune your awareness to your next steps. As you decant the coffee or place the tea bag in the cup, notice any scents & sensations you become aware of. Breathe in the coffee scent, pick out the different colours of the tea leaves.
5. After the water has boiled, pour the water into the mug. And watch the colours change into rich tones as the beverage mixes and warms. Breathe deeply and slowly to calm yourself and enjoy the moment.
6. Once you have made your drink, take the time to breathe it in. Smile and then revel in that first sip… Notice all the different tastes that you can pick up in the different parts of your mouth. It’s amazing what we miss when we are not really tuning into the experience!

After you’ve finished, notice how you are feeling. Do you feel calmer, do you feel more present? You will likely feel more ready to tackle the rest of your day with a new energy & poise.

Take a look at more Simple & Quick Mindful Habits for your Daily Routine

3. Get Moving

We all know the mental benefits of exercising and moving our bodies! But going for a half-hour workout isn’t always possible when we’re in the middle of our daily schedule!

Instead, harness the resetting power of movement. Stick one of your favourite feel-good tunes on – I mean something that really gets you moving – and dance.

Even if you can only do this in the car on your way somewhere. Turn those beats up and get moving. Focus on how you feel as you sway and move to the beat. Allow the music to flow through you and tune into that experience only. This is just for the length of the song, so quick and simple, but so effective. You get out of your mind and into the physicality of the moment. Allowing you to spend less than 5 minutes to reset yourself.

4. Be Still to Reset

This is a completely different approach to resetting yourself. This one is especially good for when you feel frazzled with anxious energy and you need to chill out.

Find somewhere quiet to do this! Set a timer for 5 minutes to start with.

Take a deep breath. Breathe in for the count of four, hold at the top, and then out for the count of six.

Now, invite your body to sit in stillness. Get comfortable and settle yourself. Take another deep breath as before.

Within these five minutes keep breathing deeply and fully. If you prefer, allow your breathing to fall to its natural rhythm. As long as you are benefiting from the full breath.

The aim here is to tune into your breathing and to let go of all your thoughts, worries and concerns. Clear your mind for just 5 minutes to reset yourself.

However, sometimes it is not that easy. Especially if you are in a state of distress or anxiety.

So, be kind to yourself. If you are struggling with clearing your mind, instead try to focus on one of your senses. You can pick which one resonates with you the most. But lock your awareness into that single sense and tune out the rest.

Let’s use sound/hearing as an example.

Within this 5 minutes, listen to the space around you. What can you hear at first? Can you hear noises from the room you are in? Can you hear birds, the wind, any machinery or traffic noises? As you calmly identify each sound, acknowledge that you hear it. And then move on to listening for the next sound.

This is not a test to see how good you are at hearing! Rather it is an opportunity to allow your brain to rest and settle in on just one thing. Once you’ve identified the first layer of noises, see what else you can notice. The further you get into this form of meditation, the more you will likely be able to hear.

Do not judge any noises as bad or good. They simply are. And you can hear them. That is all. Take any pressure of decision making away and simple acknowledge what you are experiencing.

Once your five minutes are up you will feel a sense of space. And will likely feel like you can carry on your day with a new sense of freshness & calm.

For more on the mindful senses technique and how it can help you stop overthinking, take a look at this article.

Reset Yourself in 5 Minutes or Less

I hope that some of these suggestions have been helpful for you. And you will try them the next time you are feeling overwhelmed or unbalanced. Mindfulness is an amazing tool that you can integrate effortlessly into your life. It can help you tackle stress, anxiety and overwhelm. Among its many other benefits are boosting your creativity & productivity.

Approaching your life more mindfully is what Keeping it Mindful is all about. For more tips, advice & positive ways you can design your best life the mindful way, take a look at the Guide to a Mindful Life on Keeping it Mindful.

Have you tried any of these tips for a quick reset? What are your thoughts? Do you have any tips and tricks to share? Let us know below!

This post is written by Kim of Keeping it Mindful. Kim is a well-being & lifestyle blogger, with a passion for helping women build a positive mindset and design their best life the mindful way. As someone who has recovered from burn-out and chronic fatigue, Kim helps women boost their energy & passion by taking a more mindful approach to their life, environment and self. You can find Kim on her Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.