Why Breath is Key for Designers Battling Stress
As designers, we often find ourselves caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. We’re constantly trying to stay ahead of the game with our projects, while still managing to juggle our personal lives. It can be easy to get overwhelmed, which is why it’s so important to learn how to deal with stress as a designer. The answer you may not have expected? It lies in your breath.
Breathing Exercises for Stress Relief
Learning how to use breathing exercises for stress relief can be a great way for designers to calm down and reset when they are feeling overwhelmed. Deep breathing focuses on guiding your attention away from stressful thoughts and onto your breath—which helps you feel more grounded and relaxed. Here are some tips on how you can practice deep breathing:
Find a comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed for 5-10 minutes. You can sit or lie down; whichever position feels most comfortable for you.
Focus your attention on your breath and inhale deeply through your nose while counting silently in your head from 1-4. Visualize the air entering your lungs, filling them up completely before slowly exhaling through your mouth while counting down silently from 4-1 again.
Continue this pattern until you feel yourself relax into the moment and become aware of any tension that may be present in your body (e.g., tightness in the shoulders). Take note of any sensations that arise and focus on sending gentle love and kindness towards those parts of yourself that need it most—this is what makes this process truly healing!
As best as you can, practice being mindful and nonjudgmental throughout each exercise—allowing thoughts to come and go without clinging onto them or giving them too much attention or energy.
Results of Deep Breathing Exercises
By practicing deep breathing exercises regularly, designers will experience a range of positive effects including improved concentration, improved mood, greater productivity, better sleep quality, increased self-awareness & insight into one’s emotional states (i.e., recognizing patterns that may lead to stress), as well as reduced feelings of anxiety & depression! It really does make a world of difference when it comes to dealing with stress as a designer—so give it a try today!
Deep breathing exercises are an effective way for designers to cope with stress because they help bring awareness back into the present moment by focusing one’s attention away from stressful thoughts onto their breath instead. This can lead to improved concentration, increased productivity levels, better sleep quality, heightened self-awareness & insight into one’s emotional states (i.e., recognizing patterns that may lead to stress), as well as reduced feelings of anxiety & depression! So don't underestimate its power: take just 5 minutes out of each day and practice deep breathing exercises today!
