Five-Minute Fixes That Save Your Sanity

What if you could reclaim your sanity in less time than it takes to make a cup of tea?

As caregivers, we tend to think relief has to be big — a full day off, a weekend away, a major life change. But in reality, your nervous system doesn’t need a vacation to feel better. It needs consistent, tiny moments of reset.

Self-care isn’t always about carving out hours. Sometimes it’s about sprinkling five-minute “pit stops” into your day so you don’t burn out halfway through the week.

Here are a few you can try today:

• Pair a caregiving task with a reset. While waiting for the kettle to boil, practice three deep belly breaths. 
• Use a kitchen timer. Give yourself five minutes to stretch, tidy, or simply gaze out the window.
  
• Turn routines into mini-games. Use a lap counter app to track mobility practice — celebrate the wins you and your loved one rack up.
  
  

These micro-breaks aren’t indulgent. They’re maintenance — the equivalent of topping up your gas tank before it runs dry.

I’ve seen caregivers transform their days just by weaving in three or four of these little resets. They stop running on fumes and start feeling present, focused, and calmer.

Five minutes now can save you five hours of stress later.

And if you want even more quick wins? My Freemium Gadgets/Device Guide lists simple, affordable tools that can shave minutes off daily tasks and free up space for those sanity-saving breaks. These are the same devices I recommend to my community — and many are under $20 or completely free.

[→ Get the Freemium Device Guide Here]