The practice of deep breathing has become an integral part of Myosin Marketing's corporate culture. CEO Sean Clayton begins every meeting with a breathing exercise, even if the meeting is online. This ritual helps the team focus, reduce tension, and open up to new ideas. Initially, employees were skeptical, but over time they noticed its positive effects and embraced the habit.
Deep breathing is a simple, free, and effective way to reduce stress and improve concentration. Research shows that such exercises help lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, and even prevent cardiovascular diseases. Chronic stress, according to the American Heart Association, can be as harmful as secondhand smoke, making regular breathing practices an essential tool for health.
Examples of Techniques and Experiences
Lindsey Carlisle, a sales representative from Michigan, incorporates breathing exercises into her daily routine: together with her seven-year-old daughter, they practice breathing on the way to school. Their favorite technique is inhaling for seven counts, holding for five, and exhaling for seven. It helps calm their nerves before the workday.
Lisa Marie DeLevo, a mother of five who was laid off a few months ago, uses breathing practices to stay calm during her job search. Her favorite exercise is alternate nostril breathing, a yoga technique that involves inhaling through one nostril and exhaling through the other. She practices early in the morning before her children wake up.
Cardiologist Glenn Levine advises taking breathing breaks even during the busiest days. "It's like rebooting a frozen computer," he says. No special conditions are needed: a few minutes on a park bench or at your desk with the screen off will suffice.
Stress Relief Meditation
Suzy Yalof Schwartz, a former fashion editor, shares how deep breathing transformed her life. After learning from her mother-in-law, she left her fashion career and founded Unplug Meditation, a company that teaches breathing and meditation to employees of companies like Coca-Cola, Netflix, and Mattel. Her 16-second breathing technique — inhaling for four counts, holding, exhaling, and holding again — helps quickly relieve tension before important events, like meetings or negotiations.
How to Integrate Breathing Into Daily Life
Breathing exercises can be done almost anywhere. In an office, you can set a timer on your phone or leave a reminder on your monitor that says “Breathe.” In retail or healthcare, use short pauses, such as during a phone call or even between client conversations.
Breathing not only helps reduce stress but also brings a person back to the present moment. As Schwartz notes: "When we slow our breathing, we send a signal to the brain that everything is under control, even if it’s not."