We are all crazy busy. Yes, me too, as can be attested to the fact I haven’t posted in months. We live with stress every day and it can be a killer.

This post has been languishing in my drafts for over a year, and I finally decided to finish it and post it and pay attention to my own preaching!

Here are five five-minute activities to decrease your stress and increase your organisation. Do them every day if you can. You deserve to feel some control over this rollercoaster ride that is life. Here are five of my favourites that help me feel like I have my life together!

1. Make a dinner planner for the week, on Sunday. If you have extra time, make a bunch of meals ahead of time. I try to prioritise lunches because they are the one thing I always struggle with making healthy choices for.
2. Decide on your clothes for tomorrow. This saves you so much stress in the morning! It literally takes a few minutes to pick out an outfit, and lay it all out. Pick out everything, including underwear. If you are not a morning person (like me), you will be glad for the extra time saved.
3. Do that chore. If you walk past something – dirty dishes in the sink, clothes to put away, recycling bin to empty – and a stress triggers in you (“I really should do that”), quickly assess if it’s something you can do in 5 minutes. If it is, do it straight away. If not, write it down and do it later.
4. Plan your leisure activities. This may seem strange, but if you have lots of things you want to do, it can feel overwhelming. Planning out a leisure activity or two to do each day (during your lunch break, or after work) really helps me to feel better about my hobbies, TV and gaming. We all deserve to indulge our passions.
5. Meditate. Yes, I know it’s cliche. But even five minutes, to reset your body and mind, will clear out the cobwebs and give you a fresh perspective. Find a quiet place, set a timer, and focus on your breathing. Let everything else go and just breathe. If you can do this every day, you’ll see results in a matter of days.

There we have it, short and sweet, and completely achievable! Now get out there and enjoy your awesome life, because it’s YOURS!

We’ve all been there – maybe you are there right now. You’ve been in a funk for days, and life just seems dull and grey. Your motivation is way down, and it’s a struggle to even watch TV. Does this sound familiar?

It can be tough to lift that cloud, but there are some simple things you can do for an instant mood reboot. You only need five minutes. Try these out – do one, two or all five!

1. Take a quick stroll

When I’ve been sitting around feeling sorry for myself, it’s an instant mood lifter to get out of the house and get moving. Start with five minutes and see where it takes you. This isn’t an exercise regime, this is about a change of scenery. So if you are feeling down, put on your walking shoes and hit the footpath. Even if you hate exercise, you’ll have to agree, a five minute walk will feel pretty good. You can even do more than five minutes if you are up to it.

2. Make a salad

Do you eat your five serves of vegies a day? I usually don’t, but I’ve started including a basic salad with most of my lunches or dinners. I don’t love it, but it only takes a few minutes to make, and I know it’s doing me good. I will never be satisfied by replacing meals with salad, but this way I’m adding goodness in to what I eat. If you really hate salad, combine it with number 3!

3. Have a coffee (or tea or hot chocolate)

A warm beverage is balm for the soul. If you don’t like warm beverages, we can’t be friends (just kidding, I’ll still love you husband). A warm beverage will also make your salad less eurgh! If you want some extra bonus mood points, have your hot drink somewhere you wouldn’t usually, such as outside in the garden.

4. Bond with your pet

If you are fortunate enough to have a pet or four in your life, take five minutes and go and snug with them. They love us and want to hang out with us, and let’s be honest, we sometimes take our furbubs for granted. Brush them, play with them, and generally remind them you love them. The happy purr or bark in return can’t help but make you smile. Repeat every day forever!

5. Play some music

I often forget how good music makes me feel. I can go days without listening to something and when I finally do make an effort, I’m always uplifted. So turn on your music device and listen to a couple of (preferably upbeat) songs. Add some crazy dancing for an extra lift. This one is especially good if no one is there to make you feel silly! Music is life.

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Did any of these help your mood? Post in the comments and let me know what works for you!