When the workday is in full swing and your boss is starting to get on your nerves, it helps to take a little time to relax and let go of the stress that's been building up over the course of the day. Even if you can't get away from your desk, some simple breathing exercises can go a long way toward making the rest of the day easier to deal with.
The fine folks at Greatist have six breathing exercises borrowed from yoga that you can do at your desk in just a few minutes, but one that caught our eye especially is the Abdominal Breathing Technique, which they point out is especially useful when you're in the middle of or headed into a stressful situation like a meeting, exam, or other nerve-wracking situation. Here's how to do it:
With one hand on the chest and the other on the belly, take a deep breath in through the nose, ensuring the diaphragm (not the chest) inflates with enough air to create a stretch in the lungs. The goal: Six to 10 deep, slow breaths per minute for 10 minutes each day to experience immediate reductions to heart rate and blood pressure, McConnell says. Keep at it for six to eight weeks, and those benefits might stick around even longer.
There are more suggested exercises where that one came from at the link below, including the Nadi Shodhana, or "Alternate Nostril Breathing" which is designed to open up your air passages and help you focus and be more alert. The best thing about most of these is that you can do them anywhere, whether you're home at the end of your day, or just have a moment to breathe in between phone calls or meetings at your desk.
6 Breathing Exercises to Relax in 10 Minutes or Less | Greatist
Photo by Shawn Rossi.