Five Good Minutes of Mindfulness: Reduce Stress, Reset, and Find Peace Right Now

by Jeffrey Brantley, Wendy Millstine

How can you find true peace of mind and contentment, even when the going gets tough? This portable pick-me-up will show you how—all in just five good minutes. In difficult or stressful times, peace of mind can be hard to come by. That’s why you need a quick antidote to help you find calm and serenity—no matter what the world throws your way. Using the proven-effective mindfulness practices in this use-anywhere guide, you’ll learn how to slow down, relax, and appreciate what’s good in your life—all in just moments a day. In Five Good Minutes of Mindfulness , Dr. Jeffrey Brantley—founder and director of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program at Duke Integrative Medicine—shows us that true serenity and happiness are within our reach, even when we feel like all is lost. Using the quick and easy mindfulness practices in this guide, you’ll find tons of ways to take stock of what matters to you, stay present in the moment, and soothe stress before it takes over. Whether you’re at home, at work, or simply at your wit’s end, five good minutes can be found in actions as simple as stretching your body, savoring a delicious meal with your loved ones, or jotting down your thoughts in a gratitude journal. If you’re ready to harness the amazing benefits of mindfulness in just minutes a day, this little guide offers small mindful practices for finding your own joy amidst the chaos of our modern world. Isn’t it time you took five good minutes?

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Health

200 pages, Paperback

Published January 2, 2022

About the author

Jeffrey Brantley, MD, DFAPA, has practiced mindfulness meditation for over thirty years, and his work in medicine and psychiatry has emphasized mindfulness and mindfulness-based interventions to promote individual health and well-being. He is a founding faculty member of Duke Integrative Medicine, and founded the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program at Duke Integrative Medicine in 1998. Brantley is the author of Calming Your Anxious Mind and coauthor of the Five Good Minutes series and Daily Meditations for Calming Your Anxious Mind.

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the title suggests, it’s a great walkthrough on tactile five-minute mindfulness exercises and strategies for both beginners and ‘pros’. I didn’t try out every exercise and found some resonated moreso with me than others, but would recommend this book for people looking to add a quick daily meditation practice to their routine!

[Jason Frasca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, concise, actionable exercises for focusing on mindfulness. The author does a great job of covering a broad set of situations, perspectives and mindsets, with excellent recommendations and exercises to pursue a more mindful approach.

Give this a shot! This review is mine without influence.

[Rahel Charikar · Rating 3 out of 5]

In "Five Good Minutes of Mindfulness," authors Jeffrey Brantley and Wendy Millstine offer a portable pick-me-up designed to provide quick and effective mindfulness practices in just moments a day. This guide, aimed at helping individuals find peace and serenity even in the face of stress, provides accessible techniques for slowing down, appreciating the present moment, and reducing anxiety.

The strength of this book lies in its practical and straightforward approach to mindfulness. Brantley and Millstine, drawing on Dr. Brantley's expertise as the founder and director of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program at Duke Integrative Medicine, present readers with a variety of techniques that can be easily incorporated into daily life. From simple stretches to savoring a meal or jotting down thoughts in a gratitude journal, the guide offers a diverse range of practices suitable for different situations.

The emphasis on finding moments of calm amidst the chaos of modern life is a valuable takeaway from the book. The authors acknowledge that true peace of mind may be hard to come by in difficult times and propose mindfulness as a quick antidote. The inclusion of practices that can be implemented at home, work, or during moments of stress adds versatility to the guide.

However, while the book succeeds in providing practical exercises, some readers may find the content relatively basic, especially if they are already familiar with mindfulness practices. The brevity of the guide also means that the depth of exploration for each technique is limited, potentially leaving readers wanting more detailed guidance.

In conclusion, "Five Good Minutes of Mindfulness" is a three-star guide that serves as a quick introduction to mindfulness practices for those seeking moments of peace in their daily lives. Jeffrey Brantley and Wendy Millstine offer accessible techniques that can be easily incorporated into various routines, making mindfulness an achievable goal in just a few minutes a day. While the content is practical, readers looking for a more in-depth exploration of mindfulness may need to seek additional resources.

[Aislin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short collection of mindfulness exercises that can be done in about five minutes. It begins with a brief introduction to concepts such as mindful breathing and meditation. The majority of the book is one-page exercises. The exercises are written as step-by-step instructions; they are very accessible and focus on different settings. For example, some are meant to be done on a walk, some at work, some before bed at home.
I thought some of these were very good and I will try them out! Some of them didn't connect as much or even bothered me. For example, I disliked the activity designed for people dealing with a bad day/period of sadness that asked them to visualize all the suffering in the world that was worse than theirs. I also felt like it was a bit superficial when discussing things like childhood wounds and past pains.
Overall, this is a useful book for people who need ideas about mindfulness exercises, but some of the pages are a bit problematic.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always intrigued by books that offer to help me to be more aware and centered. So, I definitely wanted to give this title a look. Certainly in our current crazy and stressful world, learning how to not get swept up is a reasonable goal.

The author has excellent credentials. He works at Duke University in an integrative medicine program. His book drew me in with sections on Slowing Down and Relaxing, Appreciating Who You Are and What You Have, and last, Connecting to Others and the World Around You.

Readers can go through this title in order or browse. Either way it is a helpful, easy resource to use. The activities that are included will encourage readers to slow down and reset. Try them first thing in the morning as the author suggests. Also, allow for practice. It can be surprisingly difficult to be mindful for five minutes.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Winnie | Her Digital Coffee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five Good Minutes of Mindfulness is a self-help book that focuses on breathing, meditation, and practicing mindfulness while being present. There are plenty of exercises to try. Brantley and Millstine gives the reader different scenarios to think about, all while practicing your breathing. The topic of these exercises include sleep, anxiety, anger, pain, and more.

The main focus of this book is to properly set your intentions and breathe. I did find these practices to be quite repetitive. Perhaps the purpose of this repetition is to serve as a reminder of always staying present. My favorite chapter is Star-Filled Nights. Thank you to NetGalley and New Harbinger Publications, Inc. for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[MookNana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a detailed and comprehensive set of meditations for self-care and growth. They are arranged loosely by theme and are appealingly bite-sized, which makes them feel accessible and do-able instead of overwhelming. There is a wide variety of visualization, breathing, and physical exercises to encourage mindfulness and self-knowledge.

This would be a very valuable resource for readers looking to center themselves and improve their self-knowledge in a realistic, manageable way!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five Good Minutes of Mindfulness: Reduce Stress, Reset, and Find Peace Right Now is a collection of mindfulness exercises that can be done in five minutes. Each exercise is well detailed and designed to help the reader learn how to slow down, relax, and appreciate what is good in their life. The act of reading this book is calming by itself and practicing the exercises will surely help the reader develop life changing habits.

Special thanks to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Tammy (tales.of.tammy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded to 4⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley, New Harbinger Publications, Jeffrey Brantley, and Wendy Millstine for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

What an interesting book! Chalk full of different mindfulness activities, there truly is something for everyone in this one! I will definitely be revisiting it to see which ones I would find useful in my life! An excellent source of self-care

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short collection of mindfulness exercises that can be done in about five minutes. The book is chalk full of different mindfulness activities, there truly is something for everyone in this one! I definitely will be keeping some on these in mind during my day to day work and home life. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will help those who want to reflect on life without criticising themsevles. I like the fact that you can open the book at any page to reflect on something, if you do want read it in a linear way.

[Joni Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely helpful for helping with everyday stress and anxiety. Who doesn’t have 5 minutes for taking care of yourself? 5 minutes to breathe and relax. This book walks you through exercises to release the tension and feel more in control.

[Faith Tydings · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great little book to purchase and go back to when you're feeling stuck. Mostly filled with meditative practices and mantras to assist you with specific problems, 5 Good Minutes also provides some nice insights and reminders that we are human and we are okay.

[Kym Rap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful exercises with pre-written mantras to ease the newbie into mindfulness practices. I like the explanation and differentiation established in the beginning between mindfulness and meditation or other therapeutic breathing exercises. Very helpful.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of, Five Good Minutes of Mindfulness, by Jeffrey Brantley and Wendy Millstine. This is a great book on calming down, slowing your mind and your breathing.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another really good book to help with mindfulness, I found it informative and easy to follow.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super swift and forgettable. The concept is solid, but the main concept could have been summed up in an article and most of the exercises were the same or super familiar/generic.

[RaeAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - there was quite a bit of overlap between exercises, but I'd say at least a quarter of the 99 resonated with me, which isn't too bad.

[Andrea Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy, relaxing read, great introduction to mindfulness.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read with tips on breathing exercises for mindfulness in many areas.

[Selena Pigoni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what it says on the tin: 99 short meditation practices that all take about 5 minutes. Read through, pick the ones that speak to you best, and get meditating.

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction, which is clearly what it is meant to be. A variety of good ideas, a chance to find a few that resonate with you and get you started.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this. Perfect for beginners to develop some confidence in mindfulness practice. Also great for those who just don’t have a lot of time.