Emotions, Wellbeing

The 5-4-3-2-1 Activity

This article includes an activity for managing overwhelm, which may not be right for everyone.

Being able to regulate our emotions in difficult moments can be key to managing overwhelm, and form part of an “Emotional First Aid Kit”. One way of doing this is with the  5-4-3-2-1 activity. 

The activity may help you stay grounded and focused on the present moment, by using mindful awareness of your surroundings.

That doesn’t mean we ignore how we are feeling — or that it’s easy to “just do this”, but distraction can be useful and, especially with practice, the activity allows us to move from a place of reactivity to a more healthy space of being able to respond meaningfully. When we are calmer, our responses are often more useful.

There are different ways to approach this activity. The image below can be used as a reminder to bring your attention towards: 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste.

Example 5-4-3-2-1

Awareness is a key part of this activity so knowing when we’ve been “activated” or are starting to feel that we’re not ok will begin by recognising early warning signs. Keep in mind that practice is also key with these activities when calm, so that in a moment of difficulty, you have a strategy available to you that you’re already familiar with.

If sat in your living space, you might then choose to notice and even say out loud if helpful:

  • 5 things you can see – for example, a coffee table, a chair, curtains, the TV and the remote control
  • 4 things you can hear – for examples, the sound of the TV, the central heating, the rain on the windowsill, the sound of a clock
  • 3 things you can touch – you might be holding a cup of coffee, can feel the fabric of your clothes, and notice your feet on the floor
  • 2 things you can smell – this might include the fabric conditioner on your clothes and your perfume
  • 1 one thing you can taste – you might take a sip of coffee.

You can vary these in as many ways as is helpful for you. 

Colours of the Rainbow

Another way of trying this activity, might be to focus on colours of the rainbow – if, say, you were starting to feel overwhelmed in the supermarket. you might stop where you are and notice, if it’s helpful and possible, 5 red things, 4 orange things, 3 yellow things, 2 green things and 1 blue thing. 

What’s In Front

Still in the supermarket, you might notice instead what is in the aisle in front, and use the 5-4-3-2-1 to list all the products you can see – 5 different boxes of tea bags, 4 types of biscuits, 3 different coffee brands, 2 types of sugar, 1 type of milk. You can mix this up in ways that might work for you depending on what’s in your environment. The idea is that the activity helps you return you ‘here’ rather than being ‘there’.

You may also find the video below helpful with an idea on how to manage a panic attack.

Everyone is different so what works for one person might not work for someone else, but if it’s helpful you might decide to add this tool to your Emotional First Aid Kit as a way of helping you manage and maintain your mental health. 

Delphi is the author of Answers In The Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal, out now on Amazon and Hive.  The Helping You Sparkle™ magazine is part of the Helping You Sparkle™ portfolio. References to third parties does not endorse their content. Please read these policies for details.