Are you Aware Your Breathing Determines Your Success At Work?

Ever hear people tell you to Pause And Take A Breath?
Are you aware your breathing changes throughout the day?
Do you hold your breath in certain situations:
Tense calls, negotiations, out-of-control CEOs/LPs;
Friction and conflict can trigger changes in breathing.

I took a swim lesson yesterday - the first one since I was 15.
The instructor immediately pointed out that I was holding my breath underwater, rather than exhaling slowly. Instead I was 1. breathe in, 2. hold breath & paddle/kick furiously, 3. exhale out of the water. I was getting exhausted quickly and my body was tense. Restarting the normal cycle of -- inhaling above water, then slowly exhaling underwater -- made my stroke more powerful, my heart rate drop, and my body more relaxed. Same guy, completely different result!

When you (unknowingly) hold your breath in tense interactions, the same thing happens to you at work. Holding your breath signals your vagus nerve that you're under attack. Biologically, you start to see things as binary. Your ability to be creative, explore shades of gray, and keep the spirit collaborative goes out the window.

Bring attention to your breathing throughout the day. If you notice yourself not breathing regularly, note what you're doing at the time.

Simply restarting the normal breathing process can dramatically change your daily interactions and decision making. You don't even need a fancy executive coach for this simple hack.

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