Workology Podcast · 2026-04-30 · 28 min
Key moments - from our scoring
Substance score
27 / 100
Five dimensions, 20 points each
With burnout recovery taking 18-24 months and affecting HR leaders at rates 20% higher than the general workforce, Jessica Miller Merrill tackles an urgent workplace wellness challenge through breathwork and nervous system regulation. The episode combines scientific evidence - including a study on Buddhist monks showing increased brain activity and hormone stabilization after breathing exercises - with practical techniques. Diaphragmatic breathing, which increases bloodstream oxygen by 25%, serves as the foundation. Miller Merrill walks listeners through two core techniques: box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4) and extended breathing patterns (inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 6, hold 7), both designed to shift the body from dysregulated stress states back to homeostasis. She emphasizes that just 2-7 minutes daily can prevent burnout by managing cortisol and adrenaline levels before chronic activation occurs. The episode includes a full guided 17-minute audio session using apana mudra (finger positioning) and nervous system regulation techniques, making this accessible even for those who claim they don't meditate.
As little as 2 minutes can make a difference in how your body handles stress, but 4-7 minutes is recommended for best results to allow your body and mind to step away from daily tasks and move into nervous system regulation.
Diaphragmatic breathing starts in your lower belly before moving to your middle and upper chest, increasing bloodstream oxygen by 25% and signaling safety to your nervous system, whereas upper chest breathing can signal the body to stay alert and activated.
Box breathing involves inhaling for 4 counts, holding full for 4 counts, exhaling for 4 counts, and holding empty for 4 counts; this steady rhythm calms the nervous system and can be done multiple rounds together.
When stressed over time, the body defaults to a dysregulated state where cortisol and adrenaline remain elevated, but breathwork with lengthened exhales signals safety and moves the body back to baseline (homeostasis), preventing chronic burnout activation.
A study on Buddhist monks using MRIs and blood work found that after breathwork, hormone levels were more evenly distributed, oxygen levels were higher, and brain scans showed increased brain activity while subjects felt more calm and focused, meaning the brain and body are optimized for work.
Our reviewer’s read on each dimension, with quotes from the episode.
The episode provides some useful context on burnout statistics and introduces diaphragmatic breathing and nervous system regulation as practical tools, but most of the content consists of either generic wellness framing or guided breathing exercises with minimal novel insights. The science presented (22,000 breaths/day, 25% oxygen increase, recovery timeline) is accurate but not deeply unpacked, and much of the talking is filler (invitation to engage on social media, product announcements, transition phrases).
over 70% of HR leaders are dealing with burnout, which is about 20% more than the general employee population
Lower belly breaths can increase the oxygen in your bloodstream by 25%
The core idea - using breathwork to manage stress and burnout - is well-established wellness doctrine, not original thinking. The frameworks (nervous system regulation, diaphragmatic breathing, box breathing) are standard in yoga and meditation circles and have circulated widely. No contrarian take, first-principles argument, or fresh angle is offered; the episode simply packages existing techniques without synthesizing novel perspectives or challenging conventional burnout recovery approaches.
diaphragmatic breathing, which is breathing instead of in the upper chest where we primarily breathe. But starting your breath first in your lower belly
box breathing. I'll guide you. We'll inhale for four, hold full for four, exhale for four and hold empty for a count of four
This is a solo host episode with no guest, which immediately disqualifies it from guest caliber scoring. The host, Jessica Miller Merrill, is the founder of a media/learning platform (Workology) and mentions taking 600 hours of yoga and breathwork training, but she is not presented as an operator who has scaled HR at a major company or solved burnout systematically in a large organizational context. She appears to be pivoting toward selling a wellness membership offering, which raises questions about practitioner credibility vs. commercial motivation.
I have taken over 600 hours of yoga, breath work and meditation teacher training
I'm now teaching this
The episode offers some specific metrics (70% HR burnout rate, 50% general employee population, 18-24 month recovery time, 22,000 breaths/day, 25% oxygen increase, 4-7 minute recommendation) but provides minimal evidence beyond assertion. One medical study on Buddhist monks is mentioned but not cited by name, author, or journal, making verification impossible. The breathing techniques themselves are concrete but not evaluated against control groups or backed by employee/organizational data. No case studies, company examples, or measurable outcomes from implementing breathwork in workplaces are provided.
over 70% of HR leaders are dealing with burnout
it is taking about 18 to 24 months for someone to recover from being burnt out
This is a monologue delivery with no host-guest dialogue, no adversarial follow-ups, and no challenging questions. The host reads prepared content, delivers a guided meditation, and then closes with a sales pitch. There is no back-and-forth that would reveal depth, no pushback on claims, and no uncomfortable questioning. The format is instructional and promotional rather than exploratory or investigative, which severely limits conversational craft in the context of B2B learning.
let me just say breath work has changed my life
I love this work so much that I have taken over 600 hours
Computed from the transcript - who did the talking, and the words that came up most.
Welcome to the Workology Podcast, a podcast for the disruptive workplace leader. Join host Jessica Miller-Merrell, founder of Workology.com as she sits down and gets to the bottom of trends, tools, and case studies for the business leader, HR, and recruiting professional who is tired of the status quo. Now here’s Jessica with this episode of Workology. This episode is a little different. There’s no guest; we’re going to talk about how to handle your own burnout to reduce stress. Grab this episode's complete transcription and other perks and resources on our blog: workology-podcast-episode-446-overcoming-workplace-burnout-with-breathwork
Transcribed and scored by The B2B Podcast Index.
Speaker A: Welcome to the Workology Podcast, a podcast for the disruptive workplace leader. Join host Jessica Miller Merrill, founder of workology.com as she sits down and gets to the bottom of trends, tools and case studies for the business leader, HR and recruiting professional who is tired of the status quo. Now here's Jessica with this episode of Workology. Welcome to the Workology Podcast, sponsored by ace, the HR Exam and Upskill hr. These are two of the courses that we offer for certification and recertification for HR leaders. And you can learn more about these courses over@workology.com hi there and welcome to the Workology Podcast. My name is Jessica Miller Merrill and today's podcast format is a little different. Different? There is no guest today. It's just you and me talking about a topic that's incredibly important right now, and that is the topic of workplace burnout. I want to get a little personal on this episode, honest and direct about what is going on and what is working for me when it comes to burnout. First, to set the stage, over 70% of HR leaders are dealing with burnout, which is about 20% more than the general employee population. So that means 50% of our employees in the general population are struggling with juggling tasks, always being on at work and life. Not to mention the growing concerns about our jobs being replaced by AI as well as the current global political and economic landscape and climate. I get it. It is a lot. So beyond burnout, it is taking about 18 to 24 months for someone to recover from being burnt out. And that is not an easy task. So it takes time and intention. Which is why I'm excited today to provide you with some new tools that are working for me, designed not only to help you with burnout recovery, but tools to help you manage stress and anxiety before the burnout happens. And that starts with breath. Yes, I am talking about breath, work and, uh, breathing exercises. We're going to dive into this topic. But before I introduce the topic in more detail today, I do want to hear from you. Please comment podcast over on our Instagram post. Our Instagram is at where you can ask questions, make comments and suggest other topics and special guests. I do really want to hear from you. So just briefly to set the stage here, I want to walk you through the science of breath and why it is important before we'll do that. And then we're going to walk through a 17 minute guided audio breathwork session. I'm going to help you with where I will help you lower stress and anxiety levels with only your breath I mean, what do you have to lose? So in this audio breathwork session I will guide you through two different breath techniques. These are designed to help you reduce stress and anxiety and they are both great when you're experiencing stress or maybe anticipating a highly charged work meeting or interaction with a co worker or somebody else in your life that you want to calm yourself before you interact and engage with them. So it's kind of preventive stress and anxiety recovery or you can use it after the fact. So back to the breath. We take 22,000 breaths every single day and for most of our days and lives we are breathing in a way that doesn't encourage lowering stress and cortisol levels. Those are the hormones that are activated when we are stressed. The key here is to do something called diaphragmatic breathing, which is breathing instead of in the upper chest where we primarily breathe. But starting your breath first in your lower belly before moving as you breathe in to your middle and upper chest. This breath can help you not only reduce your stress levels, but it's just healthier for you. Lower belly breaths can increase the oxygen in your bloodstream by 25% allowing your body to get more nutrients to important parts of your body. So I have been speaking on this topic all over the country at ah, conferences and workshops and events and a lot of people have been interested but many have told me they don't have time for or know how to meditate. That's normally the first. Oh, I don't meditate. I am just talking about breathing, not meditation. We are starting small here and laying the foundation. Breath allows you to slow down and even spending two minutes doing this can make a huge difference in how you handle and react as well as your body reacts to stress. For best results it is recommended that you try to breathe four to seven minutes at a time. This allows your body and mind to step away from that to do list of life. Right. It allows you to move into something called nervous system regulation. Again I'm just trying to give you the facts and lingo here. When someone experiences dysregulation, maybe they're too stimulated in their body. Maybe with extreme stress or anxiety, our bodies over time will start to default to a place where it is always activated and uh, on guard. That's how burnout happens. Hormones like cortisol and adrenaline remain higher for longer periods of time which can be damaging to our health. When we use breath, we can help move our bodies back from that over regulated or dysregulated state back to baseline or homeostasis so when we pause and reflect, our body can respond to a situation from a place of safety and not from a place of overstimulation. And that when we don't do that, that's what leads to levels of burnout. So one of my favorite recent medical studies looked at how simple breath work impacts the brain. The study, which I, uh, will include in the transcript of this podcast, did full body scans, blood work and MRIs of 12 Buddhist monks. They looked at how their brains and their blood work was before and after breath. And what they found is that hormone levels were more evenly distributed, oxygen levels higher. The interesting thing was that MRI scans found something different. They found that when they had breathed for a few minutes and felt more relaxed, their brains were actually more active. And that was before the focus breathing. It was interesting because what it means is that when the body and mind is focused on breathing, our brains are more active during that time, but we feel more calm and focused so they're optimized to do work. It's interesting, right? Breathing is something we can do every single day and I do want to encourage you to learn more tools and help balance the ups and downs of life. So let's give it a try, shall we? You are going to hear in a moment a 17 minute audio breathing guide where my voice is going to walk you through some simple exercises. And at the end of that I'll return for a short wrap up. But before we get started, the show notes of this podcast episode will include some resources to help you learn more about breathing, including a downloadable PDF with six different breathing exercises and other audio guides like you're going to listen to. You can also head on over and grab those@go.workology.com nervous system um reset. That's go.workology.com nervous system reset. And if you're ready, let's go ahead and get started.
Speaker B: Welcome. Hi, I'm Jess. Today's practice is designed to gently regulate your nervous system using your breath. There's nothing you need to do perfectly here. Just allow me and your breath to guide you. Start first by finding a comfortable position. You can sit or lie down. And take your time. I will wait for you while you get settled. Begin by relaxing your body and allowing your breath to slow naturally. If you're seated, you might gently lower your chin and soften your gaze or close your eyes.
Speaker A: M.
Speaker B: Taking a deep inhalation in through your nose and exhaling out of your nose, Taking another deep relaxing breath in and a relaxing breath out. On your next breath, begin to relax your forehead, lower your shoulders away from your ears.
Speaker A: M
Speaker B: Breathe deeply in and out of your nose, allowing your body to release and relax your lower back and belly. Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. And just begin by noticing your breath as it is. There's no need to change anything yet. Just breathe and notice. Notice which hand moves more, the chest or the belly, Noticing if the breath feels shallow or full, effortless or easy. Your breath is directly connected to your nervous system. When the breath is shallow or held, the body can interpret that as a signal to stay alert, to stay slightly activated. But when the breath slows and the diaphragm expands, especially when the exhale lengthens, this signals safety. And it begins to activate the part of your nervous system responsible for rest and recovery. M so instead of trying to relax the mind, we use the breath to create the conditions for the body to soften naturally. Even small changes in the breath can begin to shift how you feel. Notice how in just a few minutes, your body is relaxing, your mind is slowing, and you are safe. Without forcing anything. Begin to let the breath drop a little deeper into the body, Allowing the belly to soften and rise slightly. On the inhale and fall on the exhale. Take a deep breath in, feeling your hand resting on your belly expand. Then your middle chest and upper chest expand, taking a relaxing breath out of your nose. On your next deep breath and fill your lower belly and diaphragm expand first and your middle chest and upper chest. On the inhale, exhaling out of your nose. Let it all out. Taking another deep breath in and a relaxing breath out, noticing how you feel in your body right now, We'll begin to move a steady rhythm of breath designed to calm the nervous system called box breathing. I'll guide you. We'll inhale for four, hold full for four, exhale for four and hold empty for a count of four. And we'll do this for a few different rounds together. Let's go ahead and begin. Exhale any air you have in your lungs and inhale 2, 3, 4 and hold full, 2, 3, 4. Exhale out 2, 3, 4 and hold empty 2, 3, 4. Inhale, 2, 3, 4 and hold Full 2, 3, 4. Exhum out 2, 3, 4 and Hold Empty 2, 3, 4. Inhum in 2, 3, 4 and Hold Full 2, 3, 4. EXHALE OUT 2, 3, 4 and hold Empty 2, 3, 4. INHALE IN LAST ROUND, 2, 3, 4 and hold full, 2, 3,4. EXHALE OUT 2, three, four and Hold Empty 2, three, four. BEGIN TO SOFTEN. Let the rhythm become natural and steady, returning when you're ready on your own to a natural rhythm of breath. If it feels comfortable, we'll begin to deepen the breath slightly. And if it feels natural, you can begin to bring your hands into apana mudra. A, uh, mudra is a finger position for the hands designed to help you go deeper into your breath and relaxation. In a pana mudra, your middle and ring are pressed into the pad of your thumbs and you'll do this on each hand, you'll extend your index finger and pinky fingers outward like in tennis. Gently resting the backs of your hands on your knees or thighs, keeping your eyes closed or softened. If it's comfortable, your fingers stay in the mudra while you relax. Notice and breathe. M Staying in this mudra in seated position, we will move gently into a more expanded breath practice, similar to box breath, I will guide you. We'll inhale for four, hold full for
Speaker A: seven,
Speaker B: exhale for six and hold empty for seven. There's no need to be exact here. Just let the rhythm of your breath guide you. If any holds feel long, you can shorten them or return to your natural breath. Listen to you. Let us begin for four rounds and start by exhaling out. You'll inhale for four, two, three, four and we're gonna hold two, three, four, five, six, seven. Exhale two, three, four, five, six and hold empty two, three, four, five million six, seven. Inhale two, three, four. Hold full, uh, two, three, four, five comma six, seven. Exhale 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and hold empty 2, 3, 4, 5%, 6, 7. Inhale in 2, 3, 4 and hold 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Exhale out 2, 3, 4, 5,. 6 and hold 2, 3, 4th, 5, 6, 7. Last time, inhale 2, 3, 4 and hold two, 3, 4, 5, six, seven and exhale 2, 3, 4, five, six and hold 2, 3, 4,. 5, 6, 7. Return to your natural breath again and notice how you feel in this moment. Even a small softening is enough. Allow your body to relax and release when it is ready to do so. And just observe yourself in this moment without needing to change anything. Continue to notice your breath for a few more rounds, allowing your body and mind to relax more fully. M. Start to bring your awareness back into your body, To your hands. Notice the gesture upon a mudra that you've been holding. And begin to release it. Begin to take one slightly deep breath in. And slowly exhale out. If you haven't begin to release your hands in the mudra, place your hands at your sides. With your fingertips just brushing on the ground. If you're laying on your back, just leave your arms at your sides, exhaling any air you have in your lungs.
Speaker A: Right now.
Speaker B: Begin by taking an expansive breath in through your nose and if seated, begin by lifting your arms to the sky, tilting your chin upwards towards the sky, shoulders down your back. On your exhale, bring your palms to touch, moving them to your heart center in Anjali Mudra. And breathe. Thank you for making this time and space for yourself, knowing you can return to this anytime you need, knowing you can create space in your day. My name is Jess. Thank you for giving me the honor to guide you in this breath practice today.
Speaker A: Welcome back. Truly, let me just say breath work has changed my life and with so many of us experiencing burnout and high stress levels for whatever reason, I want to share what's working for me. Honestly, I love this work so much that I have taken over 600 hours of yoga, breath work and meditation teacher training. I'm now teaching this. If you have ever had any questions about breath work or tools like this one or others for you and your team, I'd love to chat with you. As I'm, um, building out a new wellness membership offering for companies and individuals focused on nervous system regulation, feel free to message me. You can also send me an email over@jessicaorkology.com or you can connect with me on LinkedIn. I am just starting this and I would love to answer questions and hear more about what you and your company are needing in this area. I'm um, also including in the transcript of the show notes of this podcast the resources that I mentioned, plus a link to the Nervous System Reset, which is a resource to help you learn more about breath work, reduce stress, anxiety and help regulate your nervous system. I want to thank you for joining the Workology Podcast sponsored by ace the HR Exam and Upscale HR Workology's learning platform for HR certification, recertification and manager training. You can also check out our new HR tech marketplace@www.marketplace workology.com. this podcast is for the disruptive workplace leader who's tired of the status quo. This is Jessica Miller Merrill. Until next time, visit workology.com to listen to all our Workology Podcast episodes.
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