Breathing exercise · 4 · 4 · 6 · 2
Uneven box breathing for deep focus, if you are doing this in the middle of the day
Rounds of 4 · 4 · 6 · 2, with the counting done for you.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Four equal sides: 4 in, 4 held, 6 out, 2 held. Nothing else to remember. Midday is an underrated time for this. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
Equal breathing tends to even out the differences between your in-breath and out-breath over a few minutes.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 4s | 4s |
| Exhale | 6s | 8s |
| Hold again | 2s | 14s |
One round is 16 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 192 seconds — about 3 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have five minutes and no idea where to start
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
Tips
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Aim for something you could keep up in a waiting room without anyone noticing.
- 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.