Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4
How to use Box breathing for creative work, when the weather has kept you inside
A four equal sides, like tracing a square pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count to 4 on the way in, 4 at the top, 4 on the way out, 4 at the bottom. Repeat. Bad weather is a decent excuse to stay in and do this. The body is the most reliable place to begin.
Why it can help
Nothing here depends on you relaxing. You can be tense the whole way through and the pattern still works.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 4s | 4s |
| Exhale | 4s | 8s |
| Hold again | 4s | 12s |
One round is 16 seconds. At the default 4 rounds this practice runs 64 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when your thoughts are moving faster than you are
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- when you have been given bad news and need to keep functioning
Tips
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- You can do this with your eyes open. Nothing here requires privacy.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
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 4-8 breathing for days when everything is too much, after eating too much, 4-6 breathing for the early months, when you feel fine and want to stay that way or 4-2-6 breathing: 8 rounds for a noisy room, when you feel fine and want to stay that way.