Can a 5-minute meditation actually help when I'm stressed about a real deadline?

Yes, but not by making the deadline disappear. A 5-minute meditation works by activating your parasympathetic nervous system (the ‘rest and digest’ response), which lowers cortisol, slows heart rate, and reduces the tunnel vision that stress creates. The result: you return to the deadline with clearer thinking, less reactivity, and better decision-making. Think of it as a pressure valve, not a solution. The deadline still exists. But your capacity to handle it improves. Research shows even brief mindfulness breaks improve cognitive performance under pressure.