Box breathing for a stolen moment of caregiving

How it works

Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4. Picture tracing the sides of a square. That is the whole exercise. When concentration is gone, work with what is left. Let the physical world hold your attention.

Why it can help

The square gives you a way to notice when you have drifted: you lose count, and that tells you where your attention went.

The pattern, in seconds

One round is 16 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 160 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

• when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
• on a train or a bus, with your bag on your lap
• before you open the email you have been avoiding

Tips

• If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
• Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
• Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.

Please note

If holding your breath makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, skip the holds entirely and breathe slowly and evenly instead. Never push through lightheadedness. If you are pregnant, or manage a heart, blood pressure or lung condition, check with a doctor before doing breath holds.