Five minutes of health?

A good friend recently asked me this question:

‘What can we do in 5 minutes a day to improve our health?’

Can we make a difference to our health and wellbeing in 5 minutes? I think so, and certainly worth a try if it only takes 5 minutes, right?

In just 5 minutes we could set off a ripple effect which could help us form new healthy sustainable habits and this is where the magic happens. A small step which has the potential to turn into massive shifts.

A 5 minute activity can set off a better course for the day but I would recommend establishing a  ‘why’ first. What is a why? Why gives us purpose in our actions, it gives us a framework or points to our values of what is important to us. Your why needs to be as specific as possible. By asking yourself if there is a potential health benefit to establishing a habit, creating a ripple effect,  which is important to you? This could be:

• feeling calmer, less stressed and anxious so you can deal with work or home-life pressures with less reactivity

• moving a little more bringing more energy and increased cardiovascular health

  weight management, if you were a healthy weight how would you feel?

Remind yourself about the why because this will help you form a sustainable habit long term. As a coach I love helping clients find their why and then tweaking these changes to suit their unique lifestyle.

Here are three 5 minute examples that I have used with my clients

Slow down

If you would you like to feel a little calmer and less anxious you could try 5 minutes of deep breathing, yoga or mindfulness, take a 5 minute seat in nature while doing it - activating rest and digest hormones, also benefiting your mental wellbeing.

Speed up

If you would like to feel more energised, 5 minutes of movement could be taken in the form of dancing, walking, a few squats or lunges, or taking the stairs whenever you have the option. Whatever you fancy - raising the heart rate, activating the cardiovascular system (blood circulation and lung function), getting the external body moving also gets the internal body moving.

Nourish

Five minutes making something to eat or drink which will nourish the body is another way to set off a potential ripple… a quick smoothie for breakfast or overnight oats made the evening before, a nutrient packed lunch for work.

We can also nourish the mind in 5 minutes by calling a friend or loved one for a quick chat.

Ripple effect activated: The next decision you make will be met with a slightly more balanced approach - it may be a nutrition or movement choice, it may be how you approach a conversation with a loved one or a difficult work colleague. This can have a positive outcome and a knock on effect from there. If after taking the action, you have the capacity and space to move on to the next moment with a little more clarity and space in your mind, then I believe that is worth 5 minutes.

Maybe time for you to think of some of your own 5 minute habits, or try the above. Write a habit list and tick daily, they could become your default.

A small amount of time spent on a habit 5 has the potential to make a massive difference.