Breathing exercise · 2 · 1 · 4
How to use 2-1-4 breathing for creative work
Simple counts — 2 · 1 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The ratio is 2 in, hold for 1, 4 out. Only the out-breath needs any attention. Five minutes here is cheaper than an hour of grinding. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
The exhale is doing the counting for you, which means you have less attention left over to worry with.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 2s | 0s |
| Hold | 1s | 2s |
| Exhale | 4s | 3s |
One round is 7 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 56 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- at the start of a study session, to set the tone
- when the weather has been grey for a week
Tips
- Do not chase the feeling. If nothing happens, nothing happened.
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try 2-1-4 breathing for a long illness, Slow box breathing exercise for a reset or Coherent 4-4 breathing: 8 rounds.