Make a
little space.

Useful when you would rather place attention outside yourself than focus on breathing or body sensations.

1. Look around and choose three ordinary things you can see. Name their colours, shapes or textures to yourself.
2. Notice a sound, or the support of the chair or floor if that feels comfortable. Choose a sense available to you.
3. Return to the situation and describe it in one simple sentence. What is happening now, rather than what are you predicting?

You are bringing attention back to your present surroundings. You do not have to argue with a thought or decide that everything is safe.

Useful if counting offers a helpful focus. Skip counting if it creates pressure.

1. Settle into comfortable, gentle breathing.
2. Count softly as you breathe in, then use an equally comfortable count as you breathe out. Choose a short count that fits your breath; do not stretch the breath to fit a number.
3. Try a few cycles without breath holds. Let counting go and notice how you feel.

Some people prefer a slightly longer out-breath. Explore that only if it remains easy, without emptying your lungs forcefully or delaying the next breath. An equal rhythm is also fine.

The aim is comfortable attention, not achieving a target. Return to ordinary breathing if you feel uncomfortable.

Useful when you notice tension in your hands, shoulders or jaw. Releasing without first tightening is an option.

1. Rest comfortably and notice any tension in your hands, shoulders or jaw.
2. If comfortable, gently tighten one hand for a few seconds while breathing normally, then let it soften. Avoid squeezing hard.
3. Notice the difference between holding and releasing. Let your other hand soften, then allow your shoulders to rest. If comfortable, let your jaw soften too, without forcing it.

Skip painful or injured areas. If tightening does not suit you, simply rest the area. For a fuller sequence, explore NHS inform’s progressive muscle relaxation guide ↗.

Useful when being still feels unhelpful, or you have been concentrating in one position. You may also notice tension in your shoulders or jaw.

1. Choose a comfortable movement available to you: change position, loosen your hands or take a few steps.
2. Notice contact and movement: your feet meeting the ground, or your hands moving while seated. Notice whether you are holding tension in your jaw; if comfortable, let it soften without forcing it.
3. Let breathing find its own rhythm. There is no need to count steps or hold your breath.
4. Pause and notice whether your pace or attention feels different before returning to your task.

Use movement that suits your body and surroundings. Small movements count; intensity is not the aim.

Useful when one thought keeps pulling you back.

1. Say it to yourself, or write it somewhere private: “I am predicting that the conversation will go badly.”
2. Separate what you know from what you are imagining. You can acknowledge uncertainty without solving it immediately.
3. Ask whether there is information to seek, a practical step to take or something you can leave for now.

The thought does not have to disappear. Describing it may help you decide how much authority to give it.

Useful when interruptions or competing demands make it difficult to pause.

1. Identify one manageable demand: a notification, noise, an open task or an uncomfortable position.
2. Make one practical adjustment if possible. Silence an alert, move to a quieter spot or write down the task so you do not have to keep rehearsing it.
3. Allow yourself a moment before deciding what needs attention next.

You do not need a perfect environment. Sometimes the most helpful change is asking for time, assistance or a clearer explanation.