Check in with yourself with this simple technique
Reconnect with your body, your breath, and your moment
It’s easy to get swept up in the momentum of the workday — meetings, emails, phone calls, to-do lists. In the busyness, we often forget to check in with the one person who needs it most: ourselves.
A regular self check-in is a powerful way to pause, reconnect, and realign with how you're really feeling — mentally, physically, emotionally, and energetically.
This 5-minute body scan is a simple and effective way to tune in, even on the busiest day. You can do it seated, standing, or lying down — at your desk, on the bus, or while waiting for the kettle to boil.
How to Do a Simple Body Scan Check-In
If you often forget to take a moment, try setting a reminder on your phone at regular intervals. You only need 3–5 minutes. Here’s how to begin:
1. Ground Yourself
Find stillness and feel your connection to the ground.
If you’re seated, plant your feet firmly on the floor. Imagine a gentle lengthening from your feet through to the crown of your head.
If you’re standing, feel your weight evenly distributed between both feet.
2. Focus on the Breath
Close your eyes and notice the natural rhythm of your breath.
Feel the inhale as it enters through your nose, and the gentle rise and fall of your chest or belly as you breathe.
Ask yourself:
Is your breath deep or shallow?
Is it smooth or uneven?
Can you feel the pause between each inhale and exhale?
3. Become Aware of the Present Moment
Let go of thoughts, judgments, or expectations.
Instead, simply ask: “How am I feeling right now?”
There’s no right answer — the goal is awareness, not analysis.
4. Observe Without Judgment
Check in gently with the different layers of your experience:
Physically: tired or energised? tense or soft?
Emotionally: calm or anxious? content or frustrated?
Mentally: focused or distracted?
Energetically: light or heavy?
Spiritually: connected or disconnected?
Acknowledge what’s present without needing to fix or change it.
5. Breathe Into Any Tension
Take a few slower, deeper breaths.
If you notice any tension (perhaps in your jaw, chest, or belly), gently direct your breath to that area. Let each exhale soften and release.
6. Practice Kindness and Acceptance
No matter what comes up — welcome it.
Be kind to yourself, especially on the days that feel harder. This practice isn’t about achieving peace — it’s about giving yourself the space to feel whatever is true.
🧡 A Final Thought
This beautiful poem by Rumi is a gentle reminder that our thoughts and emotions are always shifting — like visitors passing through:
“This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival...
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows...”
Let your daily check-in become your welcome mat — a moment to honour whatever you’re feeling with presence, breath, and compassion.
