How can I realistically embed breathwork in a day full of meetings?

8-12 hours of meetings or long days at work are not unusual for many people and then I am often asked the question:

Daniel, how do you want me to do breathwork? There is simply no time for that! Even if I wanted to, I have back-to-back meetings.

Great question. Days like these occur and it is very true for managerial roles that demand more coordination and communication, but we all live busy lives, don't we?

So how can we use breathwork to improve our quality of life if we do not seem to find the time?

The easy answer lies in the use of integrated breathwork exercises during your meeting time. Not all breathwork exercises are suitable for this, but there are some and I have two very basic techniques outlined below you can put into practice right away.

The first great technique is heart-coherent breathing in online meetings. I use this tool frequently. Most online meeting software such as Microsoft Teams comes with a meeting timer, which enables us to conveniently have a look at the time and the meeting. If not, use any timer of your preference or the advanced option below.

Heart-Coherence Breathing: Instructions

Here is how it works:

1. Sit or stand at your desk.

 2. Inhale slowly through the nose for a count of 5.

 3. Exhale slowly through the nose for a count of 5.

 4. Aim to take 6 breaths per minute (5 seconds per inhale, 5 seconds per exhale).

 5. Practice for at least 3 minutes.

Internal Clock (Advanced Option)

• Observe your heart beats to count

If you want to go down into the rabbit hole and are interested in the scientific benefits and more details, there is a great article here: https://www.heartmath.com/science/

Physiological Sigh: Instructions

Here is how it works:

1. Sit or stand at your desk.

 2. Inhale fully through your nose. Now take 1-2 extra sips of air.

 3. Exhale slowly through the nose or mouth for a count of 6.

 4. Repeat steps 1-3 at least 5 times.

I call this technique the "Quick Fix". It is a powerful, fast tool to calm you down. It has gained popularity thanks to Andrew Huberman: https://ai.hubermanlab.com/s/cCSj1L7a

These two simple and effective breathing techniques are easy to try and experience. They helped me throughout the day and are part of my go-to toolkit, especially when time feels limited at work.

However, if you are experiencing high levels of stress, are often short of breath, sleepless at night or are having other symptoms, I encourage you to schedule a discovery call with me to figure out together if Breathwork can support you.

In most cases of dysfunctional breathing more time investment is needed to really improve your health and performance, which typically involves working on breathing deviations and improving your breathing behavior and BOLT (Blood Oxygen Level Test) score. The above mentioned techniques are great but have their limitations. If you are interested in knowing more, book a discovery call or a session with me. And as always, I am thrilled to know how these two techniques worked for you! Leave me a comment or send me a message!

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