Can't Focus? Try Breathing

If you’ve been following Mindful Mondays, you know that I’m a big fan of stretching and breathing. As I mentioned in this video, combining the two can be a quick and effective way to take a break that pushes the reset button on your brain.

Of course, you may want to take a quick break by focusing on one or the other. If I had to pick one to start with, it would be breathing. Obviously, we all do it and, because we do, it’s always available as a resource for slowing things down enough to step back, relax and reset your perspective.

There’s a big difference, though, between regular and mindful breathing. If you have a smartphone, there’s a terrific app you can download called Breathe to Relaxthat will help you feel the difference. The app was created by the National Center for Telehealth and Technology which is a unit of the Department of Defense focused on “employing emerging technologies in support of psychological health and traumatic brain injury recovery in the military.”

It’s definitely worth the download and the two minutes of your time it would take to use it everyday. With a couple of screen touches, Breathe to Relax will set you up with a easy to do breathing routine that will make a positive difference in your stress level and capacity to focus mindfully on what’s next.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Image via Shuravaya/Shutterstock.com