Mindfulness in under 5 minutes

Make your bed

4 MINUTES

Making your bed in the morning is an easy way to start the day with a sense of positivity and accomplishment. It’s also the first step towards good sleep hygiene and ensuring that you sleep better that night. Plump up the pillows, smooth out the covers and take pride in a simple but important job well done.

Experts believe that making your bed can be an indication that you’re on your way to greater things, since it sets you up in a success mindset. It’s a positive place from which to begin your day: you can do this one good thing, so you can go on to do others too.

Take a cold shower

3 MINUTES

Cold showers have been credited with many physical and mental health benefits, including raised endorphins (the happiness hormone), increased metabolism, better circulation and an improved immune system – what better way to set you up for a positive day? If a fully cold shower is too much to contemplate, try standing under the water as it warms up. You’ll still get a mini blast of coldness, but it’ll be fleeting enough to be bearable.

Switch up your wardrobe

5 MINUTES

Experts reckon we only wear 20 per cent of our wardrobes 80 per cent of the time. What hidden gems in your wardrobe have you forgotten about? Start your day from a place of creativity and play by finding something joyful in your wardrobe to wear. Who would you like to be today? Life is too short not to wear the red shoes; the jazzy accessory; the silk shirt. Be bright and colourful in your choices (yellow, the colour of sunshine, is often associated with joy). Perhaps you’ll rediscover an old favourite in your shoes or accessories. Dress yourself with love and mindfulness rather than throwing on the same thing you wore yesterday. Every day we have the choice to reinvent ourselves by simply choosing to do something new, so have fun with this opportunity to play.

Say three thank yous

5 MINUTES

Pausing to say thank you is a great way to appreciate the good in your life and spread that feeling out to others. Studies have found that grateful people feel healthier and experience fewer aches and pains. Another study found that grateful people even sleep better and have reduced stress and better mental resilience.

Don’t take life or people for granted. Think of three things in your life that you’re grateful for right now. Name them as you say thank you for them. If they involve another person, perhaps you could send them a thank you note or message;