Quick resets

Each one takes under five minutes. Some have good evidence and some are just common sense; each page says which.

Slow exhale breathingBreathe out for longer than you breathe in, for two minutes. One of the better-supported quick resets, though the effect is modest.
- Evidence: Some
- Takes: 2 minutes
A short walkGet up and walk for a few minutes, indoors or out. Walking reliably nudges mood up a little, though most studies used walks of 10 minutes or more.
- Evidence: Some
- Takes: 3 minutes
Naming the feelingPut what you feel into a few plain words. Lab studies suggest it takes some heat out of a feeling, but the effect on how people say they feel is mixed.
- Evidence: Weak
- Takes: 1 minute
Writing down the worryWrite the worry on paper, add one next step and a time to deal with it later. Some trials support setting worry aside like this, but results are mixed and one famous study didn't replicate.
- Evidence: Weak
- Takes: 3 minutes
Finishing one small taskPick one task you can finish in under five minutes and finish it. A sensible way to get moving when you feel stuck, though there's little direct research on it.
- Evidence: Common practice
- Takes: 5 minutes or less
MusicPut on one or two songs you like and actually listen. Music reliably lowers stress a little in trials, though most studies didn't test a quick break between tasks.
- Evidence: Some
- Takes: 4 minutes
Stepping outsideGo outside for a few minutes, ideally somewhere with trees, grass or sky. Short time in nature lifts mood in studies, but most tested 10 minutes or more.
- Evidence: Weak
- Takes: 4 minutes