Give yourself Grace: Five-minute habits to prove that wellness doesn’t have to be life-consuming

The idea of a life of ‘wellness’ often pushes people away. Like a desperate ex or a huge group assignment, the more time we spend thinking about it, the more overwhelming and complex it feels, and the less we want to do it. Wellness might seem like an impossible task. You might think you have to overturn your entire existence and follow the lifestyle of a monk in the mountains. But this simply isn’t true. If you’ve read my last article on tuning out the online wellness noise, you’ll know that wellness starts from small moments that already exist in your life. I’m here to prove to you that wellness can be made up of tiny habits, some only just more time-consuming than it takes to make a cup of tea or watch 10 videos on Instagram Reels. Here are my High Fours: 4 habits, 5 minutes each, all of which leave your mood and wellbeing on a high.

Listening grounds you into the present moment and pulls you out of any running thoughts or anxieties

 1. Be still and listen. The best thing about this habit is that it doesn’t require ultra-zen silence. In fact, it works better if you’re somewhere with a bit of background noise (as long as it’s not somewhere overwhelming like the London Underground or a concert). This means that if you don’t have the privilege of a quiet household while home for the summer holidays, that’s okay – this habit is for you too. Find a comfortable seat and close your eyes. Let yourself focus on what sounds you can hear around you. Try to identify what they are, where they’re coming from, and how close they are to you. Listening grounds you in the present moment and pulls you out of any running thoughts or anxieties. You can perform a version of this even if you’re not in an appropriate environment to have your eyes closed. If you’re out on a walk, at work, or at family dinner, you can do this for 30 seconds with your eyes open. This is a great thing to practice during the summer so that come busy September, it’s already in your routine.

2. Clean up your space. Now, stick with me here. I know this might seem like the last thing you want to do after you’ve moved home for summer. “The boxes of cereal, bathroom cleaning products and stack of uni books might need another few days to relax before I attack them,” I hear you say. Who am I to contradict you there? All I’ll say is find the space you spend the most time in (your bed, desk, kitchen table, etc.) and set a timer for five minutes. Put things away that don’t belong there, give it a little freshen-up, wipe up that coffee stain that’s been there since last week. A clean space is a clear mind, I promise. It’s an act of self-care.

It’s easy to get caught up in work and feel lonely, especially if we’ve left our friends for a few months

3. Step outside. Much of the wellness talk online advises 10km runs or 20-mile hikes to get the most out of nature. But this simply isn’t realistic. Just getting a few breaths of fresh air can totally reset you; bonus points if you find somewhere you can look up at the sky or some trees. Taking yourself out of your usual field of vision and an environment you might feel stressed in is especially important during the months when you’re home from uni. Usually, we spend time outside without thinking as we commute to and from campus or between classes, but it’s much easier to slip into staying inside when we haven’t got a schedule to stick to.

4. Phone a loved one. Sometimes, as students, it’s easy to get caught up in work and feel lonely, especially if we’ve left our friends for a few months. A quick catch-up helps remind you that you have support systems in your life. It’s also a great mini-gratitude practice that doesn’t feel like toxic positivity. This is one of the harder ones to make a habit, because people might not always be available for a call. But the good thing is that five minutes out of someone else’s day (and yours) is often just what you need to lift your mood and allow you to be more productive later.

Slowing down during summer is really important. It can be a time of emotional upheaval, stress about the future, and a bit of schedule confusion as you find your feet in a different environment. I hope these little habits help you feel better and live well!