2 simple breathing exercises for common workplace situations
Namita Piparaiya
I help you build healthy & more productive lifestyles | No nonsense, evidence-based approach well rooted in traditional wisdom | Corporate workshops & Offsites | Customer Engagement Initiatives
Stress comes in various forms at the workplace - we cannot avoid it, and neither should we be afraid of it. In fact, stress is an integral part of living a meaningful and fulfilling life - but we do need to know how to manage it so it does not overpower us. And there are two breathing practices that should be in your stress management tool kit.
Let's look at two common workplace scenarios and which breathing technique would be most appropriate fo reach.
1?? Situation A: You have to actively engage with a stressful event
This could be giving a presentation, an important interview or leading a large meeting. In this situation, you would need to manage your nerves, stay articulate and think clearly under pressure.
??Solution??: Prolonged Exhalation Breathing
This involves making your exhalation longer than your inhalation, helping to calm your nervous system and sharpen your mental focus.?
Here's how to practice this breathing technique: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/namitapiparaiya_whenever-you-are-stressed-about-an-important-activity-7151831659800080384-Qhb3/
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2?? Situation B: You can’t engage or react and have to internalise the stressful event or stay passive.
This could be receiving criticism from your boss in a public setting or witnessing office politics unravel in front of you, etc. Here, you would need to remain calm, maintain professionalism, and process/digest the event internally without an immediate reaction.
??Solution??: Box Breathing
It is done in four steps of equal length as follows: inhale-hold-exhale-hold. It can help you observe, and listen without having an impulsive reaction. By using this method, you give yourself the space to process events calmly and respond later with a more reasoned, robust, and thoughtful approach.
Here's how to do Box Breathing: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/namitapiparaiya_pranayama-boxbreathing-tacticalbreathing-activity-7135577096440938496-W-uc/
These breathing practices are simple, and just 5-10 rounds of each can do the trick. So, practice them and get familiar with them so you can use them with ease, whenever the need arises.
I am Namita Piparaiya, and I am passionate about helping people build healthy lifestyles. Please connect or reach out for wellness workshops, retreats or consultations at [email protected]