“Why did that push my buttons?”

When was the last time you paused long enough to ask yourself that question…?

We live in a culture fuelled by notifications and to-do lists, but growing evidence shows that stepping back from all of that is a useful exercise.

A 2024 mixed-methods study found that participants who engaged in weekly reflection around how they coped with daily stressors reported significantly higher resilience after six months compared to those who didn’t. Other studies show similar patterns: when we put words to our experiences, we often begin to feel more prepared… and less overwhelmed.

The magic lies in small, consistent acts of self-awareness.

How to start? Every other evening, after dinner or before your favourite Netflix show, take five minutes. Jot down three simple things:

1. Something that made you feel tense or unsettled.
2. How you responded, even if it wasn’t ideal.
3. One small thing you could try differently next time.

End with a sentence starting, “Today I appreciated…”

That’s it. Just a private check-in with yourself.

This kind of brief reflection helps convert messy or emotional moments into something you can learn from. Over time, it builds a habit of gently stepping back instead of spiralling in. The research calls it adaptive self-reflection, but you might just call it feeling a bit more grounded.

So if you’ve had a run of stressful days, or you’ve noticed the same frustration showing up in different places, give this a go. Five minutes might not solve everything, but it can help you understand yourself better. And sometimes, that’s the beginning of real change.