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- 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
- Focusing on what you controlSort a worry into what you control, what you can influence and what you can't. Act on the first, accept the last. Matching your coping to the situation matters most.
- 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
- 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
- Dealing with a difficult bossKeep a factual record, talk to them directly about how you work together, protect the parts of the job you control, and keep your options open without panicking.
- Evidence: Weak
- Takes: 20 minutes, then a few minutes a week
- 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
- 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
- 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