Short on Time? Try These 5 Wellness Habits That Take Less Than 10 Minutes
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to assume wellness has to be time-consuming. But investing in your health doesn’t require hours at the gym or long meditation retreats. With just a few minutes each day, you can build powerful habits that help reduce stress, improve focus, boost energy, and enhance overall well-being.
Here are five simple wellness practices you can do in under 10 minutes—perfect for even the busiest of lifestyles.
Start the Day with Breathwork (3–5 minutes)
Before checking your phone or diving into emails, take a few minutes to focus on your breath. Breathwork is one of the most accessible mindfulness techniques for calming the nervous system and grounding your mind.
Try this: 4-4-4-4 Breathing Technique:
Inhale through your nose for 4 counts
Hold your breath for 4 counts
Exhale through your mouth for 4 counts
Pause with full exhalation for 4 counts
Repeat for 4–6 rounds
This simple breathing pattern slows your heart rate, lowers cortisol levels, and sets the tone for a more centered, intentional day.
Bonus: Breathwork can be done sitting, standing, or lying down—no equipment needed. You can easily wake up and start focusing on your breath while under the covers.
Do a 5-Minute Movement Reset
It took me a long time to realize this, but movement doesn’t have to mean a 60-minute workout. Just a few minutes of intentional movement—especially if you sit for long periods—can increase circulation, improve posture, and ease muscle tension.
Try this quick 5-minute sequence:
30 seconds of shoulder rolls
1 minute of spinal twists
1 minute of forward fold + gentle hamstring stretch
1 minute of cat-cow stretches
1 minute of Pilates-style core breathing or glute bridges
This mini stretch session helps relieve physical stagnation and can be easily done in your living room, office, or even next to your bed.
Practice Gratitude Journaling (5 minutes)
Gratitude has been shown to rewire the brain for positivity, improve emotional regulation, and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. The best part? It takes under 5 minutes.
How to do it:
Grab a notebook or your favorite notes app
Write down things you’re grateful for:
A big thing (family, health, etc.)
A small thing (morning coffee, etc.)
A person or group of people
A place
A thing (car, anything that’s useful)
An experience
Optional: write one positive intention for the day
Over time, this daily practice trains your brain to notice what’s going well—especially helpful during high-stress seasons.
Drink a Glass of Water with Intention (2 minutes)
Hydration is one of the most overlooked wellness practices. Yet it affects everything from brain function and digestion to energy levels and skin health. The simple act of drinking water—mindfully—can become a grounding ritual.
Try this mini ritual:
Pour a full glass of water
Before drinking, take a few deep breaths
Set a small intention: “This is a moment to nourish myself”
Sip slowly and fully experience the moment
Pairing hydration with intention transforms it into a conscious act of self-care—something many of us skip in our rush through the day.
Bonus: you are one step closer to reaching your daily water intake goal each time you do this.
Take a Tech-Free Nature Break (7–10 minutes)
Nature is a natural healer. Just a few minutes outside—without screens—can lower blood pressure, ease mental fatigue, and increase feelings of calm.
If you only have 10 minutes, try this:
Step outside to your backyard, balcony, or local park. If you’re up for it, go barefoot and really connect with Mother Earth
Leave your phone behind or on airplane mode
Observe your surroundings: sights, smells, temperature, sounds
Breathe deeply and let your mind wander
Even urban dwellers can benefit from this: looking at the sky, sitting under a tree, or feeling the sun on your face counts.
Pro tip: Add this to your lunch break or afternoon reset routine to reduce screen burnout and enhance creativity.
Pro tip #2: Stuck inside all day and not able to get away? Listen to some nature sounds and maybe even change your desktop photo to a favorite nature spot.
Really want to deep dive? Check out the July 14 episode of The Huberman Lab podcast where they do a deep dive into nature and other physical environments impacting focus, cognition and health.
It’s not that Complicated
Wellness isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency. And small, daily practices often make the biggest difference over time. These under-10-minute wellness habits are simple, sustainable, and completely customizable.
The best part? You can mix and match based on your needs each day. One morning you may feel like journaling, the next day you may prefer a breathwork session. What matters is showing up for yourself in small ways—consistently..
So the next time you say, “I don’t have time for self-care,” remember: 10 minutes is all it takes.
Want more quick wellness ideas?
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