Everyday Practices
Breathing Room at Work
For Pressure, Unkindness and Feeling Alone at Work
Welcome. These practices are here for the working day, for when it gets too much. Step away somewhere you can be on your own for a few minutes, even if that’s your car. Tap play to listen, or download any track to keep on your phone, so it’s there when you need it.
Pause and Reset
For when the pressure has piled up. You sit with your feet flat, drop your shoulders and soften your jaw. Then you breathe in for four and out for six, as I count you through. After that comes a body scan, from the crown of your head down to your feet, with the shoulders dropping ‘like a gentle waterfall.’ It ends with one long sweep down the body. The other two versions split it in two: one is just the body scan, the other just the breathing.
10 min · breath and body scanDownload
Step Away to Return Stronger
For stepping out of work mode, even for five minutes. After two slow breaths, you look around and silently name five things you can see, as if for the first time. Then four things you can feel, like your clothes against your skin or the floor under your feet, and three things you can hear. Then you go round once more, with different things this time. It ends with noticing how you feel, ready to go back ‘with fresh focus.’ The shorter version goes round once.
6 min · fullDownload
When Kindness Feels Missing
For when work feels cold, and you’ve been brushed off or met with sarcasm. It hurts because, as I say in the practice, ‘humans are wired for warmth.’ You rest with the breath as a soothing anchor. Then you bring a phrase of self-care to mind, like ‘I deserve kindness’ or ‘May I meet myself with care,’ and if it feels right, you place a hand on your heart. The shorter version leaves out choosing a phrase and the hand on the heart.
7 min · fullDownload
When I Feel Isolated
For when work feels lonely, even with people all around you. I explain that this feeling has a job: the body signals pain when connection is missing. Then you slow the breath, saying ‘here’ on the in-breath and ‘now’ on the out-breath. You might picture one small act of connection you could make today, like a hello. It ends with some words to hold on to: ‘May I be gentle with myself, even when I feel alone.’
Listen · 7 minDownload
A Quick Mindful Break
For a mindful break, wherever you are. You work through body, mind and world. You slow the breath, notice how you’re feeling and count what you can feel through touch. Then you watch for thoughts behind closed eyes, ‘a bit like being at a cinema.’ After that you open your eyes to what’s around you. A few questions about the rest of your day follow, then the sentence ‘For the rest of today, I choose…’ The shorter version has fewer questions. The micro version leaves the questions out.
16 min · fullDownload
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