When Your To-Do List Feels Triggering

From “F No” to “Bring It” in About 3 Minutes

Buckle up, buttercup.

Q2 is here—and if you're anything like the high achievers I work with (or… let’s be honest, me on most days), you're feeling the pressure to really make it count.

New quarter, new goals, ambitious revenue targets... and suddenly your heart's racing, your shoulders are creeping toward your ears, and you're wondering how it's physically possible to feel this tense and still function.

So what do most of us busy humans do when work stress hits?

• Count the hours until we can pour a glass of wine.

• Numb out with some mindless scrolling or Netflix.

• Power through while the tension builds (and inevitably explodes later).

Totally normal. And yet—none of these really help us calm down. They just gloss over the stress while we try to ignore it.

If any of this sounds familiar, I've got a better tool. One that doesn't just mask your anxiety or postpone it. One that helps you find genuine calm in under two minutes. One you already have with you 24/7.

Your breath.

Anxiety Isn’t Just In Your Head—It's In Your Body

When your heart is racing and your brain won't stop spinning worst-case scenarios about meeting your quarterly goals, it's not because you're "can't handle pressure."

It's actually a sign your nervous system is in fight-or-flight mode and needs to downshift.

The upside is that your breath is directly connected to your nervous system. It's like having a remote control for your body's stress response. When you change how you breathe, you signal to your body that it's safe to relax again.

Try This: Triangle Breath

This is called Triangle Breath. You may have heard of Box Breath which has 4 parts (and is one of the inspirations behind my business name). Well, Triangle Breath has 3 parts. I have to say, whoever named these techniques is a damn genius.

This is a good one to use when your shoulders are riding up around your earlobes and your to-do list is triggering heart palpitations (or if you’re staring at Q2 revenue projections feeling slightly queasy).

Here's how it works:

1. Inhale fully through your nose for 5 counts, feeling the expansion in your belly

2. Hold your breath gently for 5 counts—not straining, just pausing

3. Exhale slowly through your mouth for 5 counts

4. Repeat for 3-5 minutes

That's it. A few rounds of this triangle pattern can shift your state from stressed → serene. It activates your parasympathetic nervous system, stabilizes your heart rate, and lowers blood pressure.

The Calm You'll Feel (I Promise)

• Your jaw unclenches.

• Your racing thoughts slow to a manageable pace.

• Your chest loosens and your breathing deepens.

Just last week, I was reviewing my goals, fielding emails, and trying to squeeze in a few more tasks before a trip.

I felt hurried, my breathing got shallow, and my brain suggested, "Maybe you should just cancel all your plans and work through the weekend?" (Not helpful, brain.)

I stopped and did a few rounds of Triangle Breathing. Within a couple minutes, my heart stopped jackhammering and I remembered that I only had to eat my dinner, not catch it.

That's the power of using your breath intentionally. It doesn’t change the situation at hand, but it does cut off your stress response.

Want More Q2 Calm?

My FREE “5 Breaths in 5 Minutes” kit has science-backed breathing techniques specifically designed to help busy people stay grounded under pressure.

Download it here and I’ll also send you my weekly newsletter, which has lots more content in it than this blog.

Last Gasp

"I’ve developed a new philosophy… I only dread one day at a time."

— Charlie Brown