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Staring at a computer screen’s got a long way to go before it ranks up there with staring absentmindedly out the window. But with a few tools and techniques up your sleeve, you can get nearly the same mind-calming nirvana when you’re working at your desk. No, seriously.

Get Me Out of Here

But first, you need to address the stress response in your body. Essentially, the big difference between window-and computer-gazing is how we feel when we’re doing it. The same goes for any activity that stresses us out at work and makes us crave a vacation. It’s the feeling we want–the freedom from anxiety and worry.

If we work from the premise that stress stems mostly from our internal state and not from what’s going on around us, we come to the conclusion that if we change what’s going on inside us, our experiences of other things change, too. We can face the same stressors with far less stress.

The Biggest, Best Tool for Stress Prevention and Relief

Here’s the secret every yogi knows: our breath is the best tool we have. It calms us, it energizes us, and it connects our bodies and our minds. It connects us to the life force we all share. Here’s the best part about it: we can use this powerful tool anytime, anywhere—even at the office.

Try this the next time you feel like throwing your computer out the window:

Best Breath
• On an inhale, bring your attention and intention to your belly. Let it get big and round (elastic-waist pants or even an undone waistband work best for this).

•Carry that inhale into your torso, expanding three-dimensionally in your rib cage–out to the sides as well as in front and back (bring your hands to your sides if you like; sometimes this helps us learn to control the area).

•Keep inhaling up to your chest until it lifts.

•Enjoy the pause and the moment of peace between each inhale and exhale.

•On your exhale, let your chest drop, draw your rib cage in, and try to move your belly button right up against your spine.

•Pause.

•Release your tummy muscles, and then begin again.

The best part about that exercise is that you can keep working as you do it, getting calm and focused as you stay productive.

Why It Works

Sleep-research scientist and yoga teacher Dr. Roger Cole says that eight major activating systems get on the go when we feel stressed. They combine forces to do three things: increase brain activity, tense up our muscles, and rally support from the circulatory and respiratory systems. So when we counteract the shortened, rapid, shallow breaths that happen when we feel stress, we counteract some of the activation and calm ourselves down.

If you’re still interested, here are two more research links to check out.

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