Ankur Warikoo shares the 5-minute reset that helped him deal with stress in his 20s

Long workdays, constant pressure, and the feeling of being mentally stuck are experiences many professionals quietly carry. Entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo recently revisited this phase of his life, reflecting on how stress affected him during his 20s. In a candid post on social media, Warikoo explained how he often felt frozen and trapped inside his own thoughts. What changed, he says, was realising that relief did not require dramatic breaks or major life changes. Sometimes, calm was just five minutes away.

When stress starts taking over

According to Ankur Warikoo, prolonged stress during his early career would cause him to shut down mentally. Long hours and constant pressure made it difficult to think clearly or feel present. Instead of easing with time, the stress stayed locked in his body, creating a cycle that felt hard to escape.

As he began to understand himself better, Warikoo realised that waiting for big resets was part of the problem. Vacations, weekends, or entirely new routines felt like the solution, but they were distant and infrequent. Meanwhile, the stress continued to accumulate.

The power of five minutes

Warikoo discovered that breaking the loop did not require hours of effort. He was often just five minutes away from feeling better. Simple actions made the difference. 5 minutes of physical movement helped release tension. 5 minutes of writing helped clear his thoughts. 5 minutes of deep breathing helped slow everything down.

Individually, these actions seemed too small to matter. But in practice, they worked. The body responded quickly when given even a brief chance to reset.

Why small resets matter

Warikoo points out that everything people carry emotionally and mentally tends to settle into the body as tension. Over time, this can have long-term consequences for health. Ignoring these signals while waiting for the perfect break only allows stress to deepen.

When overwhelmed, Warikoo now chooses just one small action instead of trying to fix everything at once. That single choice helps him regain calm and return feeling lighter, both mentally and physically.