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In a recent article, we explored the disturbing levels of exhaustion and burnout among global leaders. For too long, we seem to have accepted this as ‘part of the job’.
This seems crazy to us. Not just because it’s harming the health of people who have the lives and livelihoods of people in their hands, but also because it’s damaging those organisations. When leaders lack coherence, they make poor decisions. They might not even know it’s happening, but cortisol in their body is making their brain shutdown and they are unable – often unwittingly – to access the best of their brain power.
The solution is coherence. And coherence can be achieved by breathing coherently.
The BREATHE skill
The BREATHE skill is not about taking a deep breath. Instead, we need to breathe rhythmically and evenly, not deeply.
Breathing rhythmically means having a fixed ratio of in-breath to out-breath. You could try it now. Breathe in slowly to a count of four, pause and then breathe out to a count of six.
You don’t need to try to fill up your lungs, just take in a comfortable amount of air as you bring rhythm to your breathing rate. The exact numbers you’re counting don’t matter either, as long as the ratio stays fixed, and you maintain that ratio consistently. It could be five in and five out, for example.
It’s also important that your breathing is smooth. You don’t want to gasp in the air too fast and then have to hold your breath for the count. Just try to breathe in and out smoothly, with a gentle, constant flow of air.
Finally, we talk about bringing your attention to your heart when you’re breathing. It’s a place to focus when we’re breathing to create a coherent Heart Rate Variability (HRV) signal. That focus also helps us breathe lower into our body, rather than just in the top half of our lungs.
Breathing as part of your everyday life
Initially, try to practise your BREATHE skill on your own in a quiet place, away from distractions. As soon as you get comfortable in that setting, start to practice when other people are around. Very soon, you’ll be able to use the technique in very busy and stressful situations.
So many global leaders have found this simple practice transformative. It brings back emotional balance and calms your mind, so you can think clearly and respond effectively in any situation – however stressful.
Free app to help
Even better news for those who find it hard to dedicate time to this kind of practice, you can download our Complete app (Google Play or Apple) to help your breathing practice. On there, you’ll find a breathing practice that covers all the points above.
