In recognition of Well-Being Week in Law, which takes place May 4-8, 2026, BARBRI is highlighting tips and ideas to help those in the legal profession become more aware of mental health and improve well-being, not just this week but throughout the year.
Ever had one of those days? You know, the ones where tasks seem overwhelming, your thoughts are racing, and the stress starts to build? Trying to push through might seem like a good idea. But as BARBRI’s Skillburst, Well-Being Series module “5-Minute Recharge: Proven Practices to Reduce Stress and Renew Energy in 5 Minutes or Less,” demonstrates, taking just a few minutes to practice stress reduction techniques can have a big impact throughout your legal learning journey. Those payoffs include a healthier attitude, a better outlook, and a boost in productivity.
Here are four proven practices to reduce stress in five minutes or less.
1. Move Your Body
If you’ve spent your day at your desk or in meetings, getting up for a few minutes, moving your body, and getting your blood pumping is one of the best stress relievers and energy boosters out there.
Regular exercise has many benefits:
- Increases energy
- Improves concentration
- Improves motivation
- Improves memory
- Leads to better sleep
- Reduces stress hormones
- Stimulates endorphins
- Acts as a natural antidepressant
But often, what stands in the way of regular exercise is actually mental. It’s easy to think you don’t have enough time or it’s too much effort to change in and out of gym clothes during your day. But it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Even a few minutes of exercise can make a big difference, like walking up stairs, taking a short walk around the block, or closing your office door and doing a five-minute workout.
2. Breathe Through Your Belly
When we get stressed, we tend to take short, shallow breaths and hold our breath. These tendencies decrease the oxygen supply to the brain and organs, which increases anxiety and worsens stress.
A simple change in breathing techniques can counter these effects. To do this, breathe slowly and deliberately through your belly, not your chest. This technique helps to trigger your nervous system’s relaxation response and creates a sense of calm by slowing your heartbeat, reducing blood pressure, relaxing muscles, and inducing a more peaceful state of mind.
3. Recharge with Music
Music can have a powerful effect on mood, including helping you to relax. If you are looking for something to help you feel calm, consider the song Weightless by Marconi Union. The song’s composers worked with song therapists with the goal of lowering heart rates, blood pressure, and cortisol levels for listeners.
4. Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a technique that enables you to quickly and completely relax major muscle groups, which will ultimately help relax your mind. When you are stressed, your body enters a feedback loop by tensing up, which sends signals to your brain that your muscles are tight, which in turn keeps you in a stressed mode. PMR can break that loop. It has a physical and mental component.
To use this technique, tense and then relax each muscle group, one at a time. Some like to start with their head and work down, while others like to start with their feet and work their way up. Experiment with what feels right for you! Then, really think about how you feel when your muscles are tense, versus when they are relaxed. With practice, you can learn how to use PMR to calm both your body and mind quickly. And the more you practice, the more benefits you will see!
Conclusion
In only five minutes a day, stress management techniques can make a huge difference, improving your outlook, interactions, and focus. Try one of these exercises, or experiment with others. If you stay proactive and deliberate, you’ll see both short- and long-term benefits.
Check out this Well-Being Series module and others at the SkillBurst website.
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