6 Breathwork Techniques I use every week to stay focused, resilient and high performing in my business.
Workplace stress is rising.
Burnout is increasing.
Engagement is dropping.
And people feel more overwhelmed than ever.
People know what to do because we’re constantly bombarded online with wellness hacks, wellbeing webinars in work that tick boxes and a never ending stream of quick fixes that don’t actually fix anything.
But people at work aren’t struggling because they don’t know what to do.
They’re struggling because they don’t truly understand WHY their nervous system is responding in that way and HOW breathwork can be the tool that changes it at a physiological level.
We don’t have a wellbeing knowledge problem… we have a meaning problem
Telling people what to do doesn’t create behaviour change.
Helping them understand why it works does.
When employees understand:
- what’s happening in their nervous system during back to back meetings
- why breathing into their chest kills focus
- how stress hormones affect decision making, creativity and emotional regulation
- why communication breaks down under pressure…
…breathwork stops being a wellbeing nice to have tick box and becomes a performance tool.
Humans are meaning making machines.
Give them the meaning and the behaviour follows.
Why breathwork works for workplace stress (the physiology)
This is the part most wellbeing programmes miss. It’s not just breathwork… It’s
- how you’re breathing,
- what that means to your body,
- your sensitivity to CO₂,
- the gas exchange
- how efficiently it’s happening,
- your nervous system,
- how safe you feel… and more.
That science directly influences:
- the stress response at work (and in personal life)
- emotional regulation
- team communication under stress
- cognitive clarity
- leadership presence
- resilience skills
When people understand the physiology (the why) the what becomes effortless.
Which leads me to the techniques I use and WHY I use them to stay focused, resilient and functional in my business and in life.
1. Before a meeting with a company I want to work with → Box breathing
Steadies focus, reduces anticipatory stress and supports clearer communication under pressure.
2. After delivering a workshop → Long slow exhale
Down regulates the stress response at work and helps me transition out of performance mode.
3. When the 3pm slump hits → Breath of fire
Boosts alertness, increases energy and improves productivity without caffeine.
4. Before bed after a busy day → 4‑7‑8 breathing
Shifts the body into parasympathetic dominance and supports recovery.
5. Between calls → Physiological sigh
Two inhales, one long exhale is one of my favourite ways to reduce stress in real time.
6. When I need clarity for deep work → Slow nasal breathing
Improves focus, reduces decision fatigue and supports sustained attention.
If your organisation wants to build resilience from the inside out
This is the work I do with teams and leaders.
I help them understand their nervous system, the mechanics of their breathing and the tools that improve performance in real time.
If your organisation is ready to build capacity, resilience and performance you can explore my workplace wellbeing support below.