Today, we want everything fast, whether it’s the Reel that has us hooked from the start or the finale of your binge-watching series. To reel us back to a little patience and the ability to take a moment for ourselves and observe, the practice of Mindfulness has become increasingly popular over the last few years.
Even though mindfulness is a process that’s supposed to be practiced for a long period of time, here’s a quick guide on some of the fun mindfulness activities that can be done in under five minutes, perfect for a time when you need to calm down, need mental clarity, or are just a beginner in mindfulness practices seeing if it can work for you!
8+ Fun Five-Minute Mindfulness Habits for Daily Self-Care:
1. Starting ‘Morning Pages
Julia Cameron, author of the bestselling book “The Artist’s Way,” is responsible for the journal therapy writing “Morning Pages,” a journal therapy name that can become popular from Gen X to Gen Z.
The writing of 3 pages in your journal in a. Stream-of-consciousness that starts with a thing that you have in your mind, before building up from whatever it reminds you of, is supposed to boost creativity and help with self-awareness.
While the technique is to be done for around 30 minutes or at least when you fill three pages as guidelines by Cameroon, if you are a beginner in journaling or starting daily mindfulness practices, then I believe even five minutes in the morning can be a great start!
Tim Ferris, business investor, podcaster, and bestselling author, quotes on the technique:
“It is for journaling in the morning, not for anything intended to be published, but to take the monkey mind and rational fears, thoughts, worries, and unfocused distractions in my head and put them on paper so that I can get on with my day and do things hopefully productively and with less anxiety and so on.”
Fun Fact: The technique in her Sunday Bestselling book, The Artist’s Way, has become so popular over the years that the author had to release another journal that was published in 2017 as an ebook named The Miracle of Morning Pages!
2. Gratitude Toss Jar
Gratitude journaling is a big thing when it comes to daily mindfulness practices, but it’s likely not to be finished in 5 minutes. That’s why we turn to these quick mindfulness exercises to start from just writing anything you are feeling blessed about right now.
It proves that some of these daily mindfulness techniques do not even need 5 minutes! With just jotting down the things you feel grateful for on a scrap of paper and folding it to be put into a jar, which you can read, you’ll have something to cheer you up whenever you feel low.
Or do it as Oprah suggests and open the jar at the end of the year as a special treat? She quotes:
“This is the gift that’s gonna keep on giving every day you put the things that you are grateful for, one thing or two things or three things always in the jar, and then at the end of the year, on special occasions, take them out and read them; it will be so gratifying.”
3. Listening To Music
Quick mindfulness techniques can be done with just listening to the rhythm you connect with! Research shows that music can actually uplift psychological mood, including helping with anxiety and depression! For more healing properties of music that have been scientifically proven to help mentally and psychologically, click here!
4. Micro Meditation
Mindfulness meditation seems to be the two things that go hand in hand. While most sessions of meditation seem to go for longer than five minutes, the trend of micro meditation, where you just put rest to your mind for even some moments, can be quite effective, according to Research!
According to Laura Dudley, program director for the Applied Behavior Analysis program at Northeastern University, short mindfulness meditation can lead to an interesting benefit as well! She comments:
“The shorter duration meditations led to a great probability that the participants would continue their meditation practice.”
5. Playing With Your Pet
Playing with your pets can help relieve stress. As they take your time and care, it’s sort of like a break from the other things you are doing right now. Studies have even concluded that Interactions with dogs, such as petting, walking, and playing, can increase brainwaves associated with stress relief and heightened concentration.
Thus, your furry buddies can be your answer to fun mindfulness activities. Give your eyes a break with these fun and no-screen activities!
6. Try Puzzles/ Brain Teasers
We have to include these fun mindfulness activities while being laid-back that require some attention to complete a task, whether it be solving a puzzle or a Rubik’s Cube. Engaging with these draws your attention from the worrying thoughts, sort of like how mindfulness practices work.
If you’d like a list of more physical puzzle games, then this list would come in really handy!
7. Start A Vision Board
People generally do this around New Year’s, but it can be done at any time, really. You can complete five minute mindfulness day by day by adding to your vision board either traditionally over a board or digitally whenever an idea strikes!
It is also a unique activity to destress! Head back to our list of top 121 Ways to De-Stress if you’d like to see more ways to find calm! (Fair warning, though, some of these take more than 5 Minutes…)
8. High Five Yourself
This daily mindfulness practice comes directly from Mel Robbins’ viral High-Five Habit. The wellness Guru and life coach can be seen in many clips where she has been seen promoting the technique where you are supposed to “high-five yourself” through a mirror.
While she recommends the technique to be done in the morning as you are waking to start the day on a positive note, you can also utilize it whenever you are feeling down or need a pick-me-up!
9. Chew Gum For a Minute
In this last task, we transform the classic mindfulness practice of how you are supposed to eat at least one meal a day slowly without any distraction, and just focusing on yourself and the things in your life can be converted into a five minute mindfulness as well.
Because let’s be real, if you are in a situation at your workplace, institution, or any other place, you are not going to have time for a meal. Rather, go for a toffee or chewing gum, which can come in handy as you take a literal breather and navigate things.
To End
These daily mindfulness habits give you a mix of some of the most playful mindfulness exercises for adults, which are either totally unique, recommended by life coaches, studied by researchers, or take a new spin on the most basic mindfulness techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions on Daily Mindfulness
Q. Can mindfulness really be effective in just five minutes?
Yes! Research shows that even a few minutes of mindful awareness can reduce stress, calm the nervous system, and improve focus. It’s about consistency, not length.
Q. Which mindfulness app is best for quick mindfulness exercises?
There are many apps and websites, such as Headspace, Calm, and Insight Timer, that you can take help from for daily mindfulness habits if you are in need of quick relief.
