Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breathing exercise for creative work — when you want to be left alone
Simple counts — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The pattern is a square — 4, 1, 4, 1 — and you trace it with your breath. Nothing here asks anything of you socially. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
You can do it silently, in a meeting, without anyone knowing. That matters more than it sounds.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 1s | 4s |
| Exhale | 4s | 5s |
| Hold again | 1s | 9s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- at your desk, with the screen turned off for a moment
- in the car, parked, before you go inside
- in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
Tips
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- If you wear a watch that tracks breathing, ignore it while you do this.
- 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.