Last week I had the opportunity to facilitate a leadership retreat focused on something that many of us don’t prioritize enough—rest, recharging, reconnecting (with ourselves and others), and supporting overall well-being.
Amid busy schedules, constant decision-making, and high expectations, we took time to explore a few simple practices that can help create space, restore focus, and reset in real time.
I thought I’d share a brief “breathing cheat sheet” from the session—practical tools you can use throughout your day, whether you’re preparing for a meeting, navigating a stressful moment, or simply looking to pause and reset.
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Breathing + Tapping Cheat Sheet: These are simple, accessible practices—no special setup required.
- Physiological Sigh
A fast reset when experiencing a sudden stress or anxiety spike
- Inhale (deep)
- Inhale (quick top-up)
- Long sigh out
- Repeat: 2–5 times
- 4–6–8 Breathing
To cultivate deeper calm when feeling anxious, wired, or unable to relax (especially helpful before sleep)
- Take a few normal breaths
- Inhale 4
- Hold 6
- Exhale 8
- Repeat: 4–8 rounds
- Straw Breathing
A gentle way to regulate when feeling overwhelmed, or a subtle reset in public settings (e.g. before meetings, during meetings, or useful when stuck in traffic!)
- Take a few normal breaths
- Inhale through nose
- Exhale slowly through pursed lips (as if through a straw or blowing out a candle)
- Repeat: 1–3 minutes
- Box Breathing (4–4–4–4)
To support clarity, focus, and composure—particularly useful before important conversations or presentations.
- Take a few normal breaths
- Inhale 4
- Hold 4
- Exhale 4
- Hold 4
- Repeat: 4–6 cycles
- Tapping
To reduce emotional intensity and interrupt stress patterns
- Use 2–3 fingers and tap gently
- About 5–10 taps per point
- Points are throughout your body and wherever you feel tightness such as eyebrow, side of eye, under eye, under nose, chin, collarbone, under arm, and top of head.
- As you tap, simply notice what you’re feeling—no need to judge or change it
- Continue tapping and allow the body to settle
- Practice: for 1–3 minutes, (or longer if helpful)
Closing Note
A slightly longer inhale can help energize and refocus the mind and body, while a longer exhale calms the system and activates the body’s “rest and digest” response.
These practices are intentionally simple—but when used consistently, they can be powerful tools for staying grounded, present, and effective throughout the day.
If any of these practices resonate, I encourage you to try one or two throughout your day—especially in moments where a pause could make a difference.