Everything, 30 at a time

Every meditation, breathing exercise, sleep story, focus session, guide and essay on SoftlyStill — 6,878 pieces, newest first, 30 to a page.

Focus50 min

A 50-minute block for thesis writing, with distant thunder, if you are fitting this around other people

A single 50-minute block for thesis writing — sections, not the whole thing.

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Breathing2 min

Coherent 5-5 breathing — 5 · 5 — for the hours after people leave, if you are fitting this around other people

5 · 5 breathing: five seconds in, five seconds out — about six breaths a minute.

Breathe →
Focus25 min

25-minute focus session for design work with café murmur, on a low-energy afternoon

25 minutes on design work — rough versions first. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.

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Breathing2 min

6-2-6-2 breathing — 6 · 2 · 6 · 2 — for a lonely evening, when you have more time than usual

A 6 · 2 · 6 · 2 rhythm — even and rhythmic, with brief holds on both sides.

Breathe →
Focus45 min

45-minute focus session for decluttering with a fireplace, when you cannot concentrate on anything else

45 minutes on decluttering — one surface at a time. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.

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Breathing3 min

Slow box breathing for heavy days, when you cannot concentrate on anything else

A 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 rhythm — a wider square, once four feels comfortable.

Breathe →
Focus50 min

50-minute focus session for admin and email with distant traffic, when you have been on screens all day

50 minutes on admin and email — in one pass, without opening new tabs. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.

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Breathing2 min

4-6 breathing for a noisy room, when you have been on screens all day

A 4 · 6 rhythm — in for four, out for six.

Breathe →
Focus25 min

Deep work timer: 25 minutes of portfolio work (a fan or air conditioner), when you have woken up too early

One block of portfolio work with a fan or air conditioner underneath. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.

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Breathing2 min

4-2-6 breathing for being unwell, when you have woken up too early

A 4 · 2 · 6 rhythm — a short hold in the middle, a long way out.

Breathe →
Focus45 min

Deep work timer: 45 minutes of problem solving (a washing machine), when the day has been loud

One block of problem solving with a washing machine underneath. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.

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Breathing2 min

Coherent 6-6 breathing: 6 rounds for a ten-minute window, when the day has been loud

A 6 · 6 rhythm — six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing.

Breathe →
Focus90 min

Deep work timer: 90 minutes of coding (brown noise), when you feel fine and want to stay that way

One block of coding with brown noise underneath. One full ultradian cycle, for work that needs a long runway.

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Breathing2 min

Quick 2-1-2-1 breathing: 6 rounds for the early months, when you feel fine and want to stay that way

Rounds of 2 · 1 · 2 · 1, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Focus25 min

25-minute focus block for practising an instrument — a library, if you have five quiet minutes

A timer, a short prep list, and 25 minutes to drill the hard bars.

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Breathing2 min

Uneven box breathing exercise for a work break — if you have five quiet minutes

Rounds of 4 · 4 · 6 · 2, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Focus45 min

45-minute focus block for exam revision — plain quiet, when you have tried everything else

A timer, a short prep list, and 45 minutes to test yourself.

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Breathing2 min

4-8 breathing exercise for Sunday evening — when you have tried everything else

Rounds of 4 · 8, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Focus90 min

90-minute focus block for data work — forest at dusk, when you have just finished work

A timer, a short prep list, and 90 minutes to work through the numbers.

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Breathing2 min

5-2-7 breathing exercise for caring for someone — when you have just finished work

Rounds of 5 · 2 · 7, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Focus25 min

Focus session for editing: 25 minutes, birds at dawn, before you go back to something hard

25 minutes of editing, with birds at dawn and a note on what to do when you drift.

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Breathing2 min

How to use Coherent 4-4 breathing for the middle of the night, before you go back to something hard

Rounds of 4 · 4, with the counting done for you.

Breathe →
Focus50 min

Focus session for brainstorming: 50 minutes, brown noise, when you want to be left alone

50 minutes of brainstorming, with brown noise and a note on what to do when you drift.

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Breathing2 min

How to use Box breathing for a grey day, when you want to be left alone

Simple counts — 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 — and a circle that keeps time.

Breathe →
Focus90 min

Focus session for research: 90 minutes, a stream, if you are new to this

90 minutes of research, with a stream and a note on what to do when you drift.

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Breathing2 min

How to use Tight box breathing for a hot day, if you are new to this

Simple counts — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — and a circle that keeps time.

Breathe →
Focus25 min

25-minute applications and forms session with plain quiet and a timer, when your attention is scattered

Sit down, press start, and get through the questions for 25 minutes. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.

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Breathing2 min

3-6 breath (3 · 6) for deep focus, when your attention is scattered

Simple counts — 3 · 6 — and a circle that keeps time.

Breathe →
Focus50 min

50-minute planning session with a train carriage and a timer, when you have been meaning to start

Sit down, press start, and decide what happens when for 50 minutes. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.

Start the block →
Breathing2 min

3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for a hard week, when you have been meaning to start

Simple counts — 3 · 5 · 7 — and a circle that keeps time.

Breathe →