CBT techniques you can practice in under 10 minutes a day

Cognitive-behavioral therapy doesn't require a therapist's couch. These science-backed micro-exercises fit into any schedule.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is one of the most rigorously studied approaches to anxiety and low mood. Its core skills are simple enough to practise in a few minutes a day.

Catch the thought

When your mood dips, jot down the thought that came just before it. Naming it ("I always mess this up") creates a small gap between you and the thought, and that gap is where change happens.

Question it

Ask: what's the evidence for and against this? Is there a kinder, more accurate way to see it? You're not forcing positivity. You're aiming for balance.

Do the opposite of avoidance

Anxiety shrinks your world by making you avoid. Pick one small thing you've been putting off and do a 10-minute version of it. Action, even tiny, tends to move mood more reliably than waiting to feel ready.

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for professional care. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, please contact your local emergency services or a crisis line. See crisis lines.