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5-4-3-2-1 Stress Relief

Tags

Social-Emotional Learning ^Extra-curricular/At-Home All Ages Strategy

Skills

Anxiety Self-regulation

5-4-3-2-1 Stress Relief

If your child needs a discrete coping technique to manage anxiety in public places

How To Apply It!

  1. The 5-4-3-2-1 coping technique is a common one to relieve stress in the moment or avoid unwanted thoughts and can easily be done in a classroom setting.
  2. As with any stress reliever, the first step is to control your breathing. Breathe in for 5 seconds, hold the breath for 5 seconds, and breathe out for 5 seconds. Continue this pattern until you find your breathing is close to normal.
  3. These five steps should put you in the moment and remove you from disturbing or racing thoughts.
  4. Step 5: SEE FIVE things around you. Maybe it is an apple, a tree, or spot on the wall. Say the names of these objects you see quietly to yourself. SEE FIVE.
  5. Step 4: TOUCH FOUR things and name them quietly to yourself. They could include a flower, a pencil, or your hair. TOUCH FOUR.
  6. Step 3: HEAR THREE things and name them quietly to yourself. They cannot be your own voice or thoughts. They could include a bird, a train, or a radio. HEAR THREE.
  7. Step 2: SMELL TWO distinct things and name them quietly to yourself. You might need to walk a little to find something. It could be the soap in the bathroom, a flower, or a food. SMELL TWO.
  8. Step 1: TASTE ONE. What do you taste in your mouth? Gum? Breakfast? Tea? Name it quietly to yourself. NAME ONE.
  9. Like any type of mindfulness, it can take practice so try to encourage students to try it a few times before they decide whether or not it is effective for them.

Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!

These five steps are easy to remember and can be done anywhere discreetly, but this is only one of many strategies. What is most important is for students who regularly struggle with stress or anxiety to find the coping strategy that works best.