The Mindful Marketer: Breathwork Exercises for the Busy Agency Life

Meghan Jones has two decades of rich experience navigating the vibrant world of agency life. At the heart of her professional ethos lies a profound commitment to nurturing talent to ensure they grow, thrive, and find balance in today’s fast-paced beat. Here’s what’s on her mind this week…

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Whether you’re feeling low on energy, your mind is racing, you're full of anxiety, or you’re teetering on the edge of feeling tense, there’s one tool that everyone can access and that’s totally free. You can use it anytime, anywhere, to help give your nervous system exactly what it needs… your breath.

The practice is more specifically called “breathwork” and it involves various breathing techniques to improve mental, emotional, and physical well-being. 

In our fast-paced agency culture, we can experience any of these emotions daily, or heck, even hourly, so it is important to understand how to harness your breath to keep you moving through your day with power and joy.

Here are some of my favorites:

1. Energizing Breath (Kapalabhati)

• Perfect for starting your workday when you get seated at your desk
• Benefits: Boosts energy, clears the mind, and invigorates the body

How to do it:

• Sit comfortably with your back straight
• Take a deep breath in
• Exhale sharply through your nose while pulling your navel in towards your spine
• Continue with short, rapid exhales and passive inhales
• Perform this for 1–2 minutes

2. 4–7–8 Breathing (Relaxing Breath)

• Perfect for right before a big meeting or presentation
• Benefits: Inducing relaxation helps to calm the nervous system

How to do it:

• Sit comfortably with your back straight
• Inhale quietly through your nose for a count of four
• Hold your breath for a count of seven
• Exhale completely through your mouth for a count of eight
• Repeat for 5–10 minutes

3. Box Breathing (Four-Square Breathing)

• Perfect for a mid-meeting boost or during a tense conversation
• Benefits: Improves focus and mental clarity and reduces anxiety

How to do it:

• Sit comfortably with your back straight
• Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of four
• Hold your breath for a count of four
• Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of four
• Hold your breath again for a count of four
• Repeat for 5–10 minutes

4. Resonant or Coherent Breathing

• Perfect for ending your workday to help transition out of work mode
• Benefits: Promotes relaxation and reduces stress

How to do it:

• Sit comfortably with your back straight
• Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of five
• Exhale slowly through your nose for a count of five
• Continue this pattern, aiming for 5–6 breaths per minute
• Repeat for 5–10 minutes

At Klick, we try to remember (and teach) that taking care of your well-being is the first step towards delivering exceptional service to our clients. Harnessing the power of your breath is just one of the simple ways to thrive in every aspect of your work life.