Big Week Energy, Minus the Crash
How to get things done without running yourself into the ground
You know that feeling when you wake up after a holiday week, the house is (temporarily) quiet, your inbox is manageable instead of terrifying, and you think—
“Alright. Let’s f*cking GO.”
Maybe the kids are at camp. Maybe your brain finally feels semi-functional after being fried for the last, oh… 6 months or so. Maybe you actually had a moment to rest and now you’re ready to gain some serious momentum into productivity paradise!
I see you.
And I love this version of you.
But if you really want to get ahead this week—not just for the next two hours, but for the rest of the summer—you’re going to need more than coffee and a well-organized Notion workspace.
You're going to need to work with your nervous system.
Getting Ahead Is About Regulating, Not Just Revving
It makes sense to assume that if you’re energized, you should double down and ride that wave as long as possible.
But here’s the thing: sustained productivity isn’t just about ramping up. It’s about managing your internal state.
You want:
Energy to get going
Focus to stay with it (whatever “it” is)
Calm to let go and recover
That’s the trifecta. And guess what?
Chicken butt. Your breath is the shortcut to all three.
So instead of giving you just an energizing breathwork practice, I’m giving you three short techniques: one to power up, one to stay steady, and one to wind down.
The idea is for you to cycle through your day feeling like a human being, not a taskbot.
🔋 Morning Wake-Up: 20 Fast
When to use it:
As soon as you get out of bed in the morning or any time your energy dips and you want a quick natural boost.
How to do it:
Take 20 quick breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Put a little force behind it, and keep these breaths shallow, higher up in your chest.
Try 1 set of 20 and see how you feel. Still a bit cobwebby? Do a second set. Short and impactful!
This breath stimulates your sympathetic nervous system and wakes you up without frying your circuits.
🎯 Midday Focus: Even-Paced Breathing
When to use it:
Before a meeting, as a break during a long stretch of creative work, or anytime your brain is drifting into multitask-land.
How to do it:
Inhale through your nose. Exhale through your nose for the same amount of time. The most common counts are 4 to 6 seconds (I tend to do 5 seconds, myself).
Keep each breath light, but send it fully into your belly—you’ve got time. Try it for 3 minutes… and if you find yourself in the zone when you get there, add 2 minutes more.
This breath helps maintain alertness and focus and feels very balancing.
🌙 End-of-Day Decompression: Extended Exhale
When to use it:
After work, before dinner, or when you want to shift out of go-mode and into zen.
How to do it:
Inhale through your nose for 3 seconds. Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 seconds. Repeat this for 2–3 minutes. Add a hand on your chest and/or belly if you need help tuning in. Sometimes I put my hand on my heart and imagine my heart rate slowing down while I do this.
Longer exhales signal safety to your body and ease your transition into rest.
Ready to Run the Day—Not Just Race Through It?
You don’t have to choose between getting sh*t done and feeling like yourself while you do it.
If you want to keep your momentum going and avoid crashing by Thursday, build in a few breath breaks. Shift gears on purpose. Take a few minutes between the activities of your day to reset.
Because productivity without regulation is just a slow-motion burnout. But productivity with breath?
That’s when things get really powerful.
The Last Gasp
Want more quick ways to feel better throughout the day?
👉 Download your FREE “5 Breaths in 5 Minutes” kit. 👈
It’s full of exactly these kinds of breath resets you can use to shift how you feel on demand.
Inside, you’ll get simple, step-by-step cards + videos for five foundational techniques you’ll want in your back pocket (or browser tab).
Perfect for workdays, weird days, weekends, and everything in between.
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh