So with brains exploding like misfiring pyrotechnics, and many people drowning out the mayhem with another round of drinks (or whatever their poison), we’re not exactly the best version of ourselves.
Enter: the 1 per cent challenge.
Before December started, I set myself a goal. Being a working parent of two young kids has meant I’d already dropped the ball on consistently doing activities that make me feel better, like yoga and Pilates classes, reading a book before bed, talking to my close friends on the phone, meditation and breath work. And though I run regularly, there are days I can’t find the space to get out at all.
Instead of pressuring myself to do more when I already felt stretched, I decided to just reclaim 1 per cent of my day to do an activity – any activity – that makes me feel better.
Rather than trying to get up before dawn to get to a class or go for a run before my kids wake up, I get up 15 minutes earlier and do a quick bit of yoga in the morning sun on our apartment balcony. On days I feel like I have too much on, I run for six or seven minutes out and six or seven minutes home, or go and sprint up the set of stairs near where I live a few times.
Sometimes, when I’m putting my daughters to bed, I put on a guided meditation for us all to listen to; practise a few minutes of box breathing at my desk; or try to read before bed and make natural light the first thing I see when I wake, rather than the light from scrolling my phone.
It doesn’t matter what it is: to meet the challenge, I just need to spend 15 minutes every day on something that feels like it’s contributing to my wellbeing, rather than being yet another obligation.
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And while this specific challenge is one I came up with myself, there is plenty of evidence that we can benefit greatly from activities that take less than 1 per cent of our time.
A paper by University of Sydney researchers, published on Thursday in British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that four minutes of incidental vigorous physical activity a day could almost halve the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, for middle-aged women who do not engage in structured exercise.
And last month, research found that taking a 15-minute break every couple of hours to move around while we’re at work enhances productivity and improves mental wellbeing.
Even 15 minutes of movement or less can hit the spot.Credit: Getty Images
One 2023 study found that just five minutes a day of controlled breathing – “box breathing” or cyclic sighing (breathing in through the nose and emphasising a long, slow exhalation through the mouth) – showed reductions in anxiety and negative effects, and increases in positive effects.
Reading a book in bed for 15 to 30 minutes immediately before trying to go to sleep improves sleep quality, according to a 2021 trial. Getting natural sunlight as soon as we wake up in the morning helps to set our circadian rhythm and protect our mental health. And 10 minutes of sprint interval training (involving 10 to 20 second bursts) decreases blood pressure, improves blood glucose and aerobic capacity.
Oh, and just 15 minutes a day of moderate-intensity exercise, like yoga, can also improve our health-span. The ways of the 1 per cent are many.
Not only is there evidence that these morsels of time can help our physical and mental wellbeing, starting small is the smartest, science-backed way to build a new habit.
Instead of pushing ourselves harder and feeling powerless as we hurtle towards the holidays, I challenge you to try the 1 per cent challenge too. It’s a way to reclaim some mental space and counter the chaos, exhaustion and stress that can feel overwhelming at this time of year.
And, by keeping it so small it doesn’t feel like effort, the chances are you’ll turn it into a habit that stays well beyond the holiday season.
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