3 minute mini-meditation to reduce daily stress

Life moves fast. Our minds are constantly juggling to-do lists, worries, and distractions. But what if you had a simple way to pause, reset, and find clarity—anytime, anywhere? And you could do it in three minutes.

I’d like to share with you one of the most popular mini meditations I teach in my sleep and stress reduction courses. It’s called the 3-Minute Breathing Space – and it’s a simple way to step out of the chaos, reconnect with the present moment, and regain a sense of calm.

And the best part? You don’t need a quiet room or a meditation cushion—you can do it right where you are.

I’ll provide the basic instructions here, and you can find a video recording of this meditation here.

STEP 1. BECOMING AWARE OF THOUGHTS, FEELINGS AND BODY SENSATIONS

Begin by sitting upright, with both feet on the floor, hands resting on the lap, and closing the eyes if that is comfortable for you.

When you are ready, turn your attention inwards, becoming aware of your inner experience.

Without judging anything you notice, observe all the sensations you can feel in your body with a sense of curiosity and acceptance.

When noticing any unpleasant or uncomfortable sensations, as best you can, responding wisely and compassionately, if you need to, gently moving the body or your attention, to allow greater ease and comfort. (take 5 breaths here)

Now, investigating your experience with these questions:

Asking yourself: “What is my experience right now?” (take 5 breaths here)

What THOUGHTS are going through my mind? (take 5 breaths here)

What FEELINGS or EMOTIONS are here in the body? (take 5 breaths here)

What BODY SENSATIONS are here right now? (take 5 breaths here)

STEP 2. GATHERING FOCUS TO THE BREATH

Now gathering your attention by focusing on the physical sensations of breathing. (take 5 breaths here)

Attend to the changing sensations at the area of the abdomen, as the breath flows in and the breath flows out. (take 5 breaths here)

Following the breath in this way, all the way in and all the way out, for around 5-7 breaths, letting the breath be an anchor connecting you to the present moment. (take 5 breaths here)

STEP 3. EXPANDING FOCUS TO THE ENTIRE BODY

Now expanding the field of your awareness from the breath to include a sense of the body as a whole. (take 5 breaths here)

Noticing your posture, your facial expression, and the whole body sitting or standing where you are. 
(take 5 breaths here)

As you expand your awareness, if you notice any sensations of discomfort or tension, take your awareness to these areas and if you’d like to, practice breathing into these areas, and as you breathe out from these areas allowing the body to soften and let go. (take 5 breaths here)

After you finish this practice, as best you can, bring this expanded awareness to the next moments of your day. 
(take 5 breaths here)

COMPLETING THE PRACTICE: Opening your eyes, slowly moving the body, stretching out your arms if you’d like to.

An audio recording of this 3 minute meditation is also available here.

By regularly practicing this meditation, you’ll discover how small pauses in your day can make a profound difference to your mindset and the way you cope with stress.