Remember back in grade school when the teacher would call your name and you would have to say ‘present!’ to announce that you were indeed in attendance? Yes, you are obviously here, but how often are you really present?  While this realization is probably not what your teacher meant, nor something that you were overly concerned with in the 4th grade, it is actually important and may help you reduce stress, reduce anxiety, and improve your focus.

Too often we go through life and forget to take a moment to breathe. Well, here’s your chance, so follow along:

5 Easy steps

  1. Find a quiet spot where you can sit quietly for a moment, free of distractions.
  2. Sitting comfortably, back against the chair and feet resting on the floor, take a big deep breath in through nose and out through the mouth. As you breathe in, notice how the chest expands. As you breathe out, feel the body relax and sink into the chair.
  3. Take a deep breath in and notice the sounds and smells that are around you.
  4. Breathe out, letting the muscles relax in your face, shoulders, and back. After your next deep breath in and out, allow your breathing to return to normal, breathing in and out through the nose.
  5. Start to count the breaths in your head. One, breathe in through the nose. Two, breathe out through the nose. Allow the eyes to close and continue all the way up to six.

When you open your eyes again, take a minute to notice how you feel before carrying on with your day. You’ll probably feel more relaxed and you’ll have a better day for it!