Welcome to The Big 5

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Are you ready to get started with the Big 5 and learn more about how to care for your mental health? Use our online checklist to see how you score.

The Big Five Quiz

Life can feel overwhelming and stressful. That’s why we need to look after our mental health, every day. But what does this even look like? The truth is, most people don’t know what they can do to care for their mental health.

At MindSpot, we’re changing that. Our research team has pinpointed five proven activities that lead to better mental health. And it is now our mission to share this with all Australians so that together, we can feel mentally healthier and more resilient.

Our research has shown that we have a tipping point for good or poor mental health - people who do The Big 5 activities at least 3-4 times each week are likely to have good mental health.

But people who don't do these things very often are likely to have poor mental health. They are more likely to be troubled by symptoms of depression and anxiety, and they are less likely to feel satisfied with their lives.

The Big 5 is a practical approach that can easily fit into our daily lives. The actions are simple and effective, and they don’t require us to make big, daunting changes to our lives. And, most of us are already doing The Big 5, we just might not be doing them enough.

Why did we create The Big 5?

Our clinical research

Let's get started Are you ready to get started with The Big 5 and learn more about how to care for your mental health? Download our Big 5 information and self-assessment sheet here

Download your copy

The Big 5 self-assessment sheet is a great starting point because it gets us thinking about how often we’re doing these activities on a regular basis. It also includes practical suggestions, examples, and ideas about how we can do these activities easily, and more often.

Big 5 Digital Journal Your very own The Big 5 personal journal to get you thinking about your activities and set and track your weekly goals.

Download your copy

So, what are The Big 5?

Across all of our Australian and international studies, these are the five activities that we kept pinpointing as being the most important ingredients for good mental health.

1. Meaningful activities

These are actions which give us a sense of accomplishment, joy or satisfaction.

They are things we love to do – but we do these less when we feel stressed or down.

2. Healthy thinking

Healthy thinking is about treating ourselves (and others) with respect.

Our thinking can become destructive and self-critical when we feel stressed or down.

3. Goals and plans

Having a goal or a plan keeps us motivated and gives us something to look forward to.

When we feel stressed or down we tend to think about the past or our current problems, and not the future.

4. Healthy routines

The routines and tasks we do automatically, like going to sleep, and waking up at the same time, set us up for the day.

Stress and low mood can make it hard to keep our healthy routines.

5. Social connections

Regular contact with people we love and value can make us feel connected.

When we feel stressed or low we tend to withdraw from others.

Let's get started Are you ready to get started with The Big 5 and learn more about how to care for your mental health? Download our Big 5 information and self-assessment sheet here

Download your copy

The Big Five self-assessment sheet is a great starting point because it gets us thinking about how often we’re doing these activities on a regular basis. It also includes practical suggestions, examples, and ideas about how we can do these activities easily, and more often.

Why The Big 5 is a game changer

The activities that make up The Big 5 aren’t new and revolutionary ideas. In fact, they have been talked about by philosophers and scientists for more than 2000 years. But our research has extended this knowledge to show that people who don't do these things very often are likely to have poor mental health. They are more likely to be troubled by symptoms of depression and anxiety, and they are less likely to feel satisfied with their lives. 

Our research has also shown that people who do the five activities at least 3-4 times each week are very likely to have good mental health. And this is why The Big 5 is such an important blueprint for us. For the first time in history, we believe we have found a tipping point and an effective target for us all to work towards.

The Big 5 is a practical approach that can easily fit into our daily lives. The actions are simple and effective, and they don’t require us to make big, daunting changes to our lives. And, most of us are already doing The Big 5, we just might not be doing them enough.

Doing these things won't fix all our problems. They won't stop us from having bad days or tough times, that is part of life. But The Big 5 will help us stay mentally healthy and boost our resilience so that we can better weather the curveballs that come our way.

Let's get started Are you ready to get started with The Big 5 and learn more about how to care for your mental health? Download our Big 5 information and self-assessment sheet here

Download your copy

The Big Five self-assessment sheet is a great starting point because it gets us thinking about how often we’re doing these activities on a regular basis. It also includes practical suggestions, examples, and ideas about how we can do these activities easily, and more often.