How to use Gentle box breathing for heated moments

How it works

Breathe in for 3, hold for 3, out for 3, hold for 3. Picture tracing the sides of a square. That is the whole exercise. Choosing this over scrolling counts as a good decision, even a small one. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.

Why it can help

Four sides means four small completions. Each one is a tiny piece of evidence that you can finish something.

The pattern, in seconds

One round is 12 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 144 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

• when the afternoon has gone flat
• just before you have to say something difficult
• at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment

Tips

• If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
• The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
• 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.