1-Minute Breathing Exercise for Energy and Productivity

An excerpt from The Power of Slow by Christine Louise Hohlbaum

Breath and productivity go hand in hand. Incorrect breathing not only reduces your productivity levels; it can also lead to an increase in your heart rate, the same way sleep apnea quickens the pulse as the body struggles to take in oxygen.

Yoga breathing techniques offer a practical solution. Yoga has become a common form of stress management and exercise for overworked executives, and you can practice yogic breathing exercises without going to a yoga class.

Try this 1-minute breathing exercise to boost blood oxygen and productivity

Professional yoga therapist Felice Rhiannon uses this one-minute breath practice whenever she’s feeling frazzled or restless. It is a centering activity based on a slow inhalation and an incremental increase in the length of exhalations.

• Inhale to the count of two
• Exhale to the count of two
• Inhale to the count of two
• Exhale to the count of three
• Inhale to the count of two
• Exhale to the count of four
• Inhale to the count of two
• Exhale to the count of five

Repeat several times, then return to your normal breathing. Your improved breathing will help regulate the oxygen flow in your blood, making you more alert. With a sharper focus, you can stay on task and make fewer mistakes, saving you time in the long run.