breathing lessons, part 1 - the physiology of breathing

 Breath is life. You can go days with no water and more days with no food or sleep, but you cannot live more than a few minutes without breathing. Most people breathe very inefficiently, using less than half of their lung capacity. Breathing is the way that most toxins are released from the body and poor breathing contributes to a multitude of physical ills. Obesity, restrictive clothing, poor posture, stress, and poor breathing habits all negatively affect this vital process. The famous Framingham Heart Study found that breathing capacity as measured by forced exhalation volume was the best predictor of how long a person will live. http://thorax.bmj.com/content/66/1/1.extract


Better breathing will oxygenate, detoxify, and energize your body and your brain. Many health-care professionals believe that improved breathing is the number one thing you can do to improve your health. When asked, more than 9 out of 10 doctors recommend breathing to their patients. Practicing deeper breathing will help your body get into the habit of breathing better. Exhalation is the key to better breathing. Most people, most of the time exhale only a fraction of the stale air in their lungs which limits the amount of fresh air they breathe in.

So if you have a minute - let’s practice. Sit in a way that does not restrict your breathing and become more aware of your breathing. Breathe through your nose if that is comfortable and just notice…..breathing in…….and breathing out.

Now when you exhale, make a conscious effort to breathe out more deeply than usual. Pull your stomach in and tighten the abdominal muscles slightly - pushing out more air. Then you will automatically breathe in more fresh air. Repeat this a couple of times, but don’t overdo it. Your brain may not be used to getting that much oxygen.

Reminding yourself to exhale more completely and to take a deeper breath a few times per day will train your body to habitually breathe more deeply and will positively impact your physical health.

Stay tuned for part 2 – the psychology of breathing, but don’t hold your breath.

can't we just get along?

How many times have you heard the question or one similar to it? If you’re a parent, you’ve likely voiced it in moments of frustration after an evening long episode of the kids arguing with each other. If you are a manager in business . . .well, the situation may be different but the frustration is much the same. Do you know what a bad attitude looks like? Right. Rolling eyes, shrugging shoulders, sarcasm, raised eyebrows, “gestures”—you get the picture. Attitudes are visible in the behaviors that accompany them. Some folks should never play poker!

The workplace has seen changes in the last 2-3 years due to excessive unemployment and the economic downturn that have placed even more importance on the need for positive attitudes, team play, and commitment. When we are asked to work harder with fewer resources we are called upon to tap into personal attributes that clearly are not technology dependent such as imagination, effective communication, emotional intelligence, personal accountability, and the willingness to simply get along with others. Never before has the excuse “but that’s just who they are” been less of a reason to retain even a skilled worker. Bad attitudes and the behaviors that accompany not only are not productive; they are destructive to any otherwise thriving workplace.

Changing attitudes is about helping employees change behaviors. Which came first doesn’t really matter—if one changes, so will the other. Encourage employees to do (and stop doing) a few simple behaviors:

• Stop the blame game. “Who did it” is not as important as “What happened” and “How can we do it differently next time?” You might begin by setting the example.

• Learn to share credit. Isaac Newton is quoted as saying “If I seem to see more [or appear taller] than other men, it is because I stand on the shoulders of others.” (And I would add, “. . . or seem smaller when I trample the good name or good ideas of others.”)

• Bring solutions to the table. Anyone can identify problems or bring criticism. That’s why so many like to do it. Bringing thoughtful solutions shows commitment.

• Build bridges. We all need allies at work because not one of us is able to accomplish everything necessary to be a great workplace. Effective communication and cooperation build bridges that span the gap between outcomes that are merely adequate and those that are exceptional.

• Keep your commitments. Nothing creates and supports trust more effectively than follow-through. When circumstances change, re-negotiate then re-commit.

Some seem to make getting along with others look easy but I suspect what we see is the result of years of fine tuning their efforts. Human interaction is far more complex than any technology in the workplace and, as such, requires deliberate attention and routine maintenance. If your work setting struggles with this challenge and you are looking for solutions to improve your human capital, consider giving your Employee Assistance Program a call.  770.834.8327.  Call us--we can help!