By George Baker, Executive Coach, Fortune Management Northeast
Breathe Your Way to Less Stress and More Focus
During a recent coaching call, a dentist sighed, “If I only had a minute to breathe.” That hit home.
Your day is packed—patients, procedures, staff issues, business challenges. It feels like there’s never time to pause.
But guess what? You breathe over 23,000 times a day. The real question is: Are you doing it mindfully?
The Power of the Pause
Mindful breathing is a proven strategy to reduce stress and sharpen focus. It’s used by high performers everywhere—from elite athletes to Oprah.
Science backs it up: Mindfulness increases brain function in areas that manage stress and emotional regulation.
And you don’t need a yoga mat or retreat in the woods. You just need a few seconds.
My First Breathing Coach? My Mom.
As a kid, when I got upset, she’d say: “Take ten deep breaths.”
Later, as a firefighter in training, breath control became a survival skill. Slow breathing = calm thinking = better decisions under pressure.
Now, as a dental coach, I teach the same principle: Master your breath. Master your moment.
Try This Between Patients
Plant your feet flat on the floor
Sit tall, shoulders relaxed
Inhale slowly for 5 seconds
Exhale slowly for 5 seconds
Repeat 3 times
That’s it. Instant clarity. More focus. Less stress.
And it works whether you’re in the operatory, the break room, or the parking lot.
Breathe. Lead. Grow.
You are more than a doctor. Your best is yet to come.