If controlling your breathing can warm you, allow you to stay underwater for more than 10 minutes, quiet your mind and enhance your physical performance, imagine what it can do for your networking.
There are a lot of different tactics out there for networking, this one however is super easy and costs nothing to implement so why not give it a try the next time you are preparing to network.
From a networking perspective, here are 3 benefits that focused breathing brings:
#1 Increased Energy
Oxygen is the most essential natural resource required by our cells. We can go without food for up to 40 days and without water for 3 days, yet we can die after just a few minutes of not breathing. From a purely physical point of view, breath equals life.
Bring new life to networking events by doing focused breathing exercises before walking into the event. Help get your energy up at the beginning as we all know networking requires stamina. If going with a buddy, get them to join in and you can compare notes afterwards to see if it made a difference for them as well.
#2 - Releases Tension
One of the benefits of breathing deeply is that it helps to release tension in the diaphragm and primary breathing muscles. It opens up the chest, releasing tension from the intercostal muscles and around the scapula, erector spinae and trapezius muscles, allowing for a more relaxed posture.
We want to look and be approachable at networking events. Use breathing to get into a relaxed posture, then smile and jump in.
#3 - Calms the Nervous System
Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing us into a relaxed state. It functions in the opposite way to the sympathetic nervous system, which stimulates activities associated with the fight-or-flight response.
Networking causes the majority of us a certain level of anxiety. Let’s capitalize on how our body is designed to bring those anxiety levels down and enter the room cool, calm, and collected.
I like to use the 3,4,6 breathing method as my pre-networking breathing technique. Since you’re already breathing all you have to do is slow down and be intentional about your inhales and exhales. Inhale for 3 counts, hold your breath for 4 counts, then exhale as slowly as you can for 6 counts.
There are a million different breathing techniques out there. We encourage you to try out some different ones and find what works for you.
Breathe is life!