Skills handout

The Daily Reset

A body-first check-in for hard days. Go down the list in order, and fix what is missing before you judge your mood.

Prepared by Alice Tran, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC · Alice Tran Psychiatric Care · Updated November 2026

The check-in

• Food. Eaten in the last 4 hours? If not, eat something small now.
• Water. Had water in the last 2 hours? If not, drink a full glass.
• Medication. Taken today's medication as prescribed? If you are unsure, follow the label or call your pharmacist or our office. Never double a dose.
• Sleep. Under 6 hours last night? Do the must-do tasks only, and plan tonight's bedtime now.
• Movement. Not yet today? Stretch or walk for five minutes.
• Fresh start. Shower, or wash your face, brush your teeth, and change clothes.
• Daylight. Step outside for five minutes, or sit by a window.
• People. Send one text or make one short call.
• Space. Set a five-minute timer and clear one surface.
• One task. Do the first piece that takes under five minutes.
• Still tense? Use slow breathing and grounding below.

Slow breathing

• In through the nose for 4 seconds
• Hold for 2 seconds
• Out through the mouth for 6 seconds, as if through a straw
• Repeat 5 to 10 times

Grounding: 5-4-3-2-1

• 5 things you can see
• 4 things you can touch
• 3 things you can hear
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 thing you can taste
• Other options: hold something cold, press your feet into the floor, name objects out loud, count backward from 100 by sevens

First step for other hard moments

• Panic. Name it: "This is panic. It is uncomfortable, and it will pass." Then breathe slowly.
• Can't sleep. After 20 minutes awake, get out of bed and do something quiet in dim light.
• Can't get started. Do only the first two minutes of the task.
• Thoughts won't stop. Write the worry in one sentence. Act on it today, or save it for a set worry time.
• Strong urge. Set a timer and delay for ten minutes. Put the thing out of reach.
• Conflict. Step away for 20 minutes before you reply.
• The interactive tool walks through each of these one question at a time: alicetrannp.com/reset

Get help right away if

Good to know

• Feelings are easier to read once the body has what it needs.
• This works well as a morning routine.
• If your mood has been low most days for two weeks or more, tell your prescriber or therapist.

This handout is general education, not medical advice, and reading it does not create a clinician-patient relationship. The content may not cover every situation and can become outdated, and no guarantee is made about it. Do not start, stop, or change any treatment based on this page alone; follow the instructions from your own clinician and the dose on your prescription label, and call the office if anything here differs from what you were told. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Alice Tran Psychiatric Care, Alice Tran Nurse Practitioner LLC, and its authors disclaim all liability arising from its use. In an emergency, call 911. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.

Related: The Daily Reset interactive tool · All patient resources