Creativity Exercise: Breathing Lessons

Here's a two-part creativity exercise that will give your brain a boost. And your heart. And your bladder. And all those other cute little parts.

1. Find a quiet space -- an office, a bathroom, inside your car, wherever. Breathe in deeply through your nose; really fill your lungs. Then, breathe out fully through your mouth. Repeat 9 times, for a total of 10 breaths.
   
   You can do this sitting or standing. If you're driving, I recommend sitting.
   
2. OK, now that your brain is fully oxygenated, think back. Was "I don't have time for this!" your first response to the exercise?

For the record, that's ridiculous. And I can say that with authority, because it's generally my ridiculous response. Along the same lines, I've heard people exclaim, "It's 3 p.m. and I haven't had time to go to the bathroom yet!" They say this with some pride.

Snap out of it, folks. It's hard to be a creative genius when you're running all day, from chore to chore or meeting to meeting. Today, here's the real exercise: Give yourself a break!