Series: Stress—Mindful Breathing: Your Secret Weapon

Owning a business is stressful during normal times, but couple that with the holiday season—and oh yeah, a pandemic—and the pressure and uncertainty can feel like more than you can handle.

Study after study has shown that uncontrolled stress can lead to a long list of negative repercussions, such as poor memory, low energy, aches and pains, upset stomach, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, weakened immune system, insomnia, a higher risk for cancer, and more.

And if you have all that working against you, you can’t run a successful business, right? But with one secret weapon in your back pocket, you can reduce your stress. That secret weapon is called mindful breathing.

Mindful breathing is a basic meditation practice in which you focus your attention on your breathing, paying special mind to its natural rhythm and how you feel with each inhale and exhale. 

Ideally, you should practice mindful breathing while sitting down and closing your eyes. However, as long as you are in a comfortable position and in a place free from distractions, you’re good to go. Most people find it easiest to begin their mindful breathing practice by focusing on their breath and counting their inhales and exhales.

Mindful breathing is a basic form of meditation, which offers a whole host of benefits. But by just practicing this beginner’s step, you will find many positive side effects. According to research, benefits of regularly practicing mindful breathing include:

• Decreased stress levels
• Reduction in burnout
• Lowered heart rate
• Easier weight loss 
• Improvement in symptoms of diabetes
• Reduction in depression and anxiety levels
• Relief of insomnia
• Management of chronic pain
• Lowered blood pressure
• Strengthened immune system
• Regulation of your body’s reaction to stress and fatigue
• Increased longevity
• Boost in creativity
• Sharpened focus

If you’d like to get started, try out this pack of three free mindfulness exercises that you can do anytime from the comfort of your home or office. Let us know if mindful breathing becomes your new favorite secret weapon for combatting stress!