Top 20 'Low-Fidelity' Grounding Habits to explore in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
In a world buzzing with notifications, bio-hacking gadgets, and the endless pursuit of optimization, our nervous systems are often in a state of high alert. We're told to download the latest meditation app, track our sleep with precision sensors, and follow complex, multi-step morning routines to find our inner peace. But what if the secret to feeling more present and less overwhelmed isn't found in high-tech solutions, but in their exact opposite?
Welcome to the world of 'low-fidelity' grounding. This isn't about adding another complicated task to your to-do list. It’s about subtraction. It's about embracing simple, analog, and sensory-rich activities that anchor you to the present moment without needing a screen, a subscription, or a user manual. These are the small, quiet habits that reconnect you to your body and the physical world, offering a gentle antidote to the digital noise that defines our lives.
As we look ahead to 2025, the collective desire for simplicity and genuine connection is growing stronger. The idea is to find calm not by doing more, but by engaging more deeply with less. This list is your invitation to explore twenty beautifully simple, low-fidelity habits that can help you feel more grounded, centred, and human in the coming year.
1. Feel the Earth Beneath Your Feet
This is perhaps the most literal grounding technique there is. The simple act of taking off your shoes and socks and walking on natural ground—be it grass, sand, or soil—can have a profound and immediate calming effect. It’s a direct physical connection to the earth, a sensory experience that instantly pulls you out of your head and into your body.
Modern life has disconnected us from this fundamental interaction. We spend our days in shoes, on concrete, inside buildings. Re-establishing this link, even for just five minutes, can help regulate your nervous system. Pay attention to the sensations: the coolness of the morning dew on the grass, the soft texture of sand between your toes, or the rich, crumbly feel of garden soil.
Try this: Find a small patch of grass in a park, your backyard, or even a public garden. Take five minutes during your lunch break to stand, walk, or sit with your bare feet on the ground. Leave your phone behind and focus solely on the physical sensation.
2. The Five-Minute Window Gaze
Before you reach for your phone in the morning or during a lull in your workday, find a window and simply look out of it for five uninterrupted minutes. This isn't about zoning out; it's about active, gentle observation. Notice the details you typically overlook: the way the wind moves through the leaves of a tree, the pattern of clouds drifting across thesky, or the daily rhythm of the street below.
This practice is a form of micro-meditation that requires zero equipment. It rests your eyes from screen fatigue and allows your mind to wander in a soft, unfocused way, which can often lead to creative insights or a simple feeling of peace. It's a reminder that there is a whole world moving and breathing right outside your walls, independent of your digital feeds.
Try this: Pair this habit with a daily routine, like while you wait for your kettle to boil or your computer to boot up. Don't try to "achieve" anything. Just watch, breathe, and let the world unfold outside the glass.
3. The Ritual of Manual Brewing
Your automatic coffee machine is a marvel of efficiency, but it robs you of a rich sensory ritual. Manually brewing a cup of coffee or tea—using a French press, a pour-over dripper, or a simple teapot—transforms a routine task into a mindful practice. The process demands your full, yet gentle, attention.
Engage all your senses. Listen to the sound of the beans being ground. Smell the rich aroma as the hot water hits the coffee or tea leaves. Watch the steam rise and the colour of the liquid deepen. This five-to-ten-minute ritual forces a pause, creating a buffer of calm before the day's demands rush in. It's a small act of devotion to yourself and the present moment.
Try this: Start with a simple French press. Focus on the deliberate, unhurried actions: scooping the grounds, pouring the water, pressing the plunger. It's not about making the perfect cup; it's about savouring the process.
4. Listen to an Album, Start to Finish
In the age of playlists and algorithmic recommendations, we often consume music in bite-sized, disconnected pieces. The art of listening to a full album, as the artist intended, has become a rarity. This practice is a wonderful way to ground yourself in a longer, more cohesive sensory experience.
Choose an album—one you love or one you've never heard before—and commit to listening to it from the first track to the last without skipping, shuffling, or multitasking. Lie on the floor, put on a good pair of headphones, and just listen. Notice the album's narrative arc, the transitions between songs, and the overall mood. It’s a journey that takes you out of your own head for 45 minutes and immerses you in someone else's creative world.
Try this: Pick one evening a week for your "album night." Dim the lights, get comfortable, and let the music be the sole focus. You might be surprised at the new details you hear in old favourite songs.
5. The Aimless Doodle
Grab a pen and a piece of paper (a napkin or the back of an envelope will do) and just start doodling. The key here is to have no goal. This isn't about creating a masterpiece; it's about the physical act of moving a pen across paper without judgment or expectation. Let your hand lead the way.
Doodling is a powerful grounding tool because it occupies your mind just enough to quiet the anxious, looping thoughts, but not so much that it feels like work. It's a form of non-verbal processing that can help unlock subconscious thoughts or simply provide a release for nervous energy. The focus is on the tactile sensation of pen on paper, not the outcome.
Try this: Keep a small, dedicated notebook for doodling. When you feel overwhelmed or stuck during a meeting, start making shapes, lines, or patterns. Notice how it helps you focus and calm down.
6. Hand-Wash a Few Dishes
While the dishwasher is a modern convenience, the act of washing dishes by hand can be a surprisingly meditative practice. It’s a task that engages multiple senses: the warmth of the water on your skin, the scent of the soap, the sound of the water, and the tactile feeling of scrubbing a dish clean.
Instead of rushing through it as a chore, try approaching it as a few minutes of mindfulness. Focus completely on the task at hand. Feel the smooth surface of the plate and the satisfying friction of the sponge. This simple, repetitive motion gives your brain a break from complex problem-solving and anchors you firmly in the present.
Try this: After a meal, choose to wash just one or two items by hand—your favourite mug or a special bowl. Slow down, breathe, and turn a chore into a moment of grounding calm.
7. Mend Something by Hand
In our disposable culture, the act of mending is almost revolutionary. Taking 15 minutes to sew on a button, patch a small hole in a sock, or stitch up a seam is a deeply grounding and satisfying activity. It connects you to a long history of human resourcefulness and care.
The focused, repetitive motion of needle and thread is incredibly calming for the nervous system. It requires a gentle concentration that pushes away other worries. Plus, you’re left with a tangible result: something broken is now whole again, thanks to your own two hands. It's a small but powerful act of creation and preservation.
Try this: Start with something simple. Buy a small, basic sewing kit and the next time a button pops off your shirt, set aside a few minutes to sew it back on yourself. Feel the pride in your simple, useful work.
8. People-Watch with Curiosity
Find a comfortable bench in a park, a café, or a town square. For ten to fifteen minutes, simply watch the world go by. The goal isn't to be nosy or judgmental, but to observe with a sense of gentle curiosity, almost like a naturalist observing wildlife.
Notice how people walk, how they interact, how they carry themselves. See the small, fleeting moments of connection or solitude. This practice pulls you out of your own inner world and connects you to the shared human experience unfolding all around you. It’s a beautiful reminder that you are part of a much larger, more complex tapestry.
Try this: Leave your phone in your pocket. To make it more intentional, pretend you’re a writer or an artist trying to capture the essence of a scene. What details stand out? What stories might be happening?
9. Read a Physical Book
There is a unique grounding quality to reading a physical book that e-readers and audiobooks, for all their convenience, can't replicate. It’s a full sensory experience: the weight of the book in your hands, the texture of the paper, the specific smell of the ink and pages, and the satisfying sound of turning a page.
Reading a physical book creates a single-focus environment. There are no notifications to pop up, no hyperlinks to distract you. It allows you to immerse yourself completely in the world of the story or the ideas on the page. In my own life, I find this one of the most reliable ways to disconnect and recharge, a sentiment that my friend Goh Ling Yong often echoes when we talk about digital well-being.
Try this: Designate 20 minutes before bed as "physical book time." Leave your phone to charge in another room and allow yourself to get lost in the tangible world of a book.
10. Stretch Without a Guide
You don't need a YouTube video or a fancy app to connect with your body. Take five minutes to stand up and just stretch in whatever way feels good. Reach your arms up to the sky, bend over and touch your toes, roll your neck and shoulders. Close your eyes and listen to what your body is asking for.
This is about intuitive movement, not perfect form. Feel the muscles lengthen and release. Notice the areas of tightness and breathe into them. This practice helps release physical tension where we often store stress and brings your awareness directly into your physical self. It’s a simple conversation with your own body.
Try this: Set a timer for three minutes. Close your eyes and just move. Maybe you sway from side to side, or maybe you just want to do a simple forward fold. There’s no right or wrong way to do it.
11. Tidy One Small Surface
Overwhelm can often be triggered by a chaotic environment. Instead of trying to clean the whole house, choose one small surface—a countertop, your bedside table, a single shelf—and spend ten minutes tidying it. This is not a deep clean; it's an act of bringing order to a small corner of your world.
Wipe it down, put things back where they belong, and remove anything that doesn't need to be there. The act of creating external order has a surprisingly powerful effect on your internal state. It’s a manageable, tangible accomplishment that provides a quick hit of calm and control in a world that can feel very out of control.
Try this: Pick your "hot spot"—that one surface that always seems to collect clutter. Spend just five minutes on it every evening. The transformation can be remarkable for your peace of mind.
12. Water Your Plants
Caring for another living thing, even a humble houseplant, is a powerful grounding practice. The act of watering your plants connects you to the simple, ancient cycles of nature. It requires you to slow down and pay attention.
Turn it into a ritual. Feel the weight of the watering can. Watch the water soak into the soil. Touch the leaves and notice any new growth or changes. This quiet interaction is a reminder of the slow, steady persistence of life. It fosters a sense of nurturing and responsibility that can be deeply fulfilling.
Try this: If you don't have plants, start with one hardy, low-maintenance one like a snake plant or a ZZ plant. Make watering it a weekly mindful moment.
13. Feel Different Textures
Our sense of touch is incredibly powerful but often underutilized. Take a few moments to intentionally engage with the textures around you. This is a simple sensory exercise that can pull you out of an anxiety spiral and into the physical reality of your environment.
Run your fingers along the rough bark of a tree, the cool smoothness of a stone, the soft fabric of your sweater, or the gritty surface of a brick wall. Close your eyes and really focus on the sensation. What does it feel like? Is it warm or cool? Rough or smooth? Describe it to yourself in your mind.
Try this: Create a small "texture kit" for your desk: a smooth stone, a piece of soft velvet, a small pinecone. When you feel stressed, pick one up and focus on how it feels in your hand for 60 seconds.
14. Slowly Peel and Eat a Piece of Fruit
Transform the act of eating a snack into a practice of sensory mindfulness. Take an orange, a banana, or another piece of fruit that requires peeling. Instead of rushing, perform each step with deliberate attention.
Notice the vibrant colour and texture of the peel. Inhale the bright, fresh scent as you break the skin. Listen to the small sounds it makes. Then, eat it slowly, piece by piece, savouring the flavour and texture in your mouth. This simple act turns a moment of consumption into a moment of deep presence and gratitude. This is a cornerstone of the simple, mindful approach to well-being that thinkers like Goh Ling Yong champion.
Try this: Next time you reach for a piece of fruit, take it to a quiet spot away from screens. Devote your full attention to the five-minute experience of peeling and eating it.
15. Hold a Warm Mug
There's a reason we instinctively reach for a hot drink when we need comfort. The simple act of wrapping your hands around a warm mug is incredibly soothing and grounding for the nervous system. The gentle heat radiates through your palms, providing a focal point for your attention.
Brew a cup of herbal tea, coffee, or even just hot water with lemon. Find a comfortable place to sit and hold the mug with both hands. Feel its weight and warmth. Bring it close and inhale the steam. Take slow, deliberate sips. This is a moment of pure, simple comfort that costs nothing and requires no special skill.
Try this: Make this your go-to ritual when you feel a wave of stress or anxiety. The physical warmth can act as an anchor, helping you ride out the feeling without getting swept away.
16. Cloud Gazing
Lie on your back in the grass and watch the clouds. This is the ultimate low-fidelity activity—it’s been a source of wonder and relaxation for humans for millennia. It's a practice in letting go and embracing a sense of awe.
Watch the clouds morph and change shape. Let your imagination run wild, seeing faces, animals, and objects in their formations. Notice the vastness of the sky and feel your own problems shrink in comparison. Cloud gazing encourages a soft, wide-angle focus that is a welcome relief from the narrow, intense focus we apply to our screens.
Try this: On a day with interesting cloud cover, take a 10-minute break. Lie down on a blanket in a park or your yard and just watch the sky's performance.
17. Sit in Silence for Five Minutes
No app, no guided meditation, no calming music. Just you and the silence for five minutes. This can feel surprisingly difficult at first, as we are so used to constant auditory input. But embracing the quiet is a powerful way to ground yourself.
Find a comfortable spot, set a gentle timer, and simply sit. You don't need to empty your mind. The goal is to notice the thoughts and ambient sounds that arise in the quiet—the hum of the refrigerator, a distant bird, the rhythm of your own breathing—without judgment. It’s an exercise in simply being with yourself, just as you are.
Try this: Start with just two minutes. The goal is consistency, not duration. Find a time of day when you can reliably find a few moments of quiet.
18. Write a Postcard or Short Letter
In an era of instant messaging, the act of writing something by hand and sending it through the mail is a profoundly grounding act. It requires you to slow down your thoughts and be more deliberate with your words.
Choose a postcard or a simple piece of notepaper. Think of someone you care about and write them a short message. It doesn't have to be long or poetic. The focus is on the physical act of forming the letters, the feel of the pen on paper, and the thoughtful process of sending a piece of yourself to someone else.
Try this: Buy a small book of stamps and a few nice postcards to keep on hand. The next time you have a spare 15 minutes, write a quick note to a friend or family member.
19. Walk a Different Route
We often move through our days on autopilot, especially during our commutes or daily walks. A simple way to jolt yourself back into the present moment is to intentionally take a different route. Walk down a street you've never explored before.
This simple change forces your brain to switch off autopilot and start paying attention again. You'll notice new details: a beautiful garden, interesting architecture, a different set of sounds and smells. It’s a mini-adventure that breaks up the monotony of your routine and re-engages your sense of curiosity and discovery.
Try this: Once a week, add ten minutes to your walk to or from work, the store, or the park, and use that time to explore a new side street.
20. Organize a Bookshelf or Record Collection
If you have a collection of physical media—books, records, CDs—the act of organizing them can be a deeply satisfying and grounding activity. It’s a low-stakes task that combines physical movement with mental categorization.
You could organize them by colour, by genre, or alphabetically. As you handle each item, you’ll reconnect with the memories and feelings associated with it. It's a walk down your own personal memory lane, guided by tangible objects. The end result is a pleasing sense of order and a renewed appreciation for the things you love.
Try this: Don’t try to tackle the whole collection at once. Spend 20 minutes on a single shelf. Put on some music and enjoy the simple, tactile process of bringing order to your personal library.
Find Your Anchor in Simplicity
In our constant rush for progress and efficiency, we've forgotten the profound power of simple, analog moments. Grounding yourself doesn't require a new app, an expensive retreat, or a radical life change. It can be as simple as feeling the grass under your feet, holding a warm mug, or watching the clouds drift by.
The goal for 2025 isn't to master all twenty of these habits. The goal is to recognize that you have the power to anchor yourself in the present moment, anytime and anywhere, using the simple tools you already possess: your body and your senses.
So, I invite you to choose one. Just one of these low-fidelity habits that resonates with you. Try it this week. Notice how it feels. See if it creates a small pocket of peace in your day.
What's your favourite low-fidelity grounding habit? Share it in the comments below—I'd love to learn from your experiences!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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