Hi there,

Today, we’re switching gears slightly.

One of the things we want this newsletter to offer, beyond branding breakdowns and cultural deep dives, is a real look at what it takes to build a remote creative agency. Not just the work we put out, but the gritty stuff behind the scenes that helps us show up at our best each day.

Right now, we’re rolling out Lento Wellness—our approach to creative wellbeing, built around five core pillars (mental wellbeing, movement, nutrition, work-life balance, social connection).

This isn’t a top-down thing. It’s something I’m still learning, and something I want us all to get better at, together. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a Rugby League Player Agent (that dream didn’t last long—but we’ll save that story for another time). But one thing that stuck with me was the idea that I wanted to place focus on was that if you’ve got things sorted off the field, your on-field performance takes care of itself.

I believe the same applies to the workplace. And as someone who’s had their own struggles with mental health in the past, it’s something I wish more companies had taken seriously when I was first entering the workforce.

Enjoy this piece from Jair Lucena, our Head of Wellness and a long-time part of Lento. He brings his experience as a wellness instructor into the creative world, showing how these five pillars don’t just protect creativity—they unlock it.

Discovering True Breathing & its Importance in Creative Productivity

Breathing—it’s one of the most natural things we do, yet it remains a mystery to most of us. We breathe more than almost any other activity—much like thinking (yikes)—but how many of us are truly conscious of it?

On average, we take about 22,000 breaths a day. Yet, like most people, we rarely stop to consider the connection between our breath and our mind.

For thousands of years, spiritual practitioners from traditions like Tibetan and Zen Buddhism, Taoism, the Incan culture, and Amazonian communities have explored the power of mindful breathing. They recognized a profound truth: conscious breathing holds hidden treasures.

As a passionate creative, you can tap into this ancient wisdom to boost your focus, break through creative blocks, and sharpen your mind. In this article, you’ll discover how mastering your breath can transform the way you work, create, and even think.

The Breath-Creativity Connection

Ever found yourself in a tense moment where your breath becomes shallow, heart races, and your mind feels on the brink of short-circuiting? Of course, you have—we all have. In today’s fast-paced world, with constant work pressure and life's manic rhythm, stress like this feels almost inevitable.

But what if I told you that mastering your breath could help you manage these moments, calm your mind, and let the right ideas flow—without getting stuck in creative blocks or self-criticism?

Breathing is the key. No matter your industry, every creative person can benefit from learning how to breathe consciously. It’s not just about relieving pressure; it’s about breaking free from fight-or-flight mode and tapping into an inner calm that helps you focus, create, and, ultimately, get shit done.

The Surprising Benefits of Conscious Breathing

1. Energy Management

We’ve all heard stories about athletes who master the art of pacing, knowing exactly when to conserve their energy and when to unleash their inner strength. Cyclists hold back until that perfect moment to surge ahead. Boxers wait for the right opening to strike. Footballers take a deep breath to calm their nerves before stepping up to take a game-changing penalty.

What they’re doing isn’t just about managing physical effort—it’s about using their breath to unlock focus and mental clarity. By training their breathing, they’re not just reacting under pressure—they’re creating space to think clearly and make smarter decisions.

The same is true for us as creatives. When we learn to breathe mindfully, we stop trying to force solutions. Instead, we open ourselves to fresh ideas and perspectives, creating mental freedom for creativity to flow. Becoming aware of your breath is like unlocking a hidden reserve of strength and calm—ready to kick in when you need it most.

2. Mental Clarity

It’s a simple truth: no one with a mind in turmoil can produce exceptional ideas. Some of the most creative minds in history understood this and trained themselves to remain calm in order to tap into the deeper well of creativity where ideas flourish.

Take Leonardo da Vinci, for example. He was notorious for his tendency to procrastinate, but it wasn’t the kind of avoidance we often associate with the word. For Leonardo, procrastination was a deliberate choice—a way to give his mind the space to reflect and let ideas mature. This process of stepping back, allowing thoughts to simmer, granted him the mental clarity to return to his work with fresh, groundbreaking insights. 

Modern research even supports this, suggesting that an "incubation period" is essential for creative breakthroughs. It’s not about doing nothing; it’s about allowing your mind the room to breathe.

3. Emotional Regulation

As creatives, we often grapple with intense pressure—looming deadlines, high client expectations, and the need for fresh ideas. In these moments, stress can become overwhelming, leading to shallow, quick breaths that trigger our fight-or-flight response.

True breathing techniques serve as a powerful tool for emotional regulation. By consciously slowing your breath, you signal to your nervous system to relax and regain control. This practice not only helps manage stress in the moment but also fosters a more balanced and inspired approach to your work. When you master your breath and emotions, creativity flows more freely, allowing you to tackle challenges with calm and clarity.

A Practical Guide to 7 Effective Breathing Techniques

We’ve gathered some of the simplest yet most effective techniques to help you overcome stress, self-doubt, and high-pressure situations. Our advice: choose the one that resonates with you and keep practicing until you start noticing the benefits. It’s important to remember that these changes won’t happen overnight. Just like with any muscle, determination and commitment are the keys to unlocking the rewards.

1. Mindful Breathing

How to Do It? Simply sit comfortably and focus on your breath. Notice the sensation of the air entering and leaving your body. If your mind wanders, gently bring your focus back to your breath.

Benefits: This exercise cultivates mindfulness, allowing you to become more aware of your thoughts and emotions. By grounding yourself in the present moment, you can release distractions and enhance your creative flow.

2. Box Breathing

How to Do It: Inhale through your nose for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 4, exhale through your mouth for a count of 4, and hold again for a count of 4. Repeat this for several cycles.

Benefits: Box breathing is excellent for regaining composure and focus. It can help stabilize emotions and reduce stress, making it particularly useful during moments of creative block or pressure.

3. Diaphragmatic Breathing

How to Do It: Sit or lie down comfortably. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to rise while keeping your chest still. Exhale slowly through your mouth.

Benefits: Also known as "belly breathing," this technique engages the diaphragm, promoting a deeper and more efficient breath. It can increase oxygen flow to the brain, enhancing cognitive function and clarity—essential for any creative process.

4. 4-7-8 Breathing

How to Do It: Inhale quietly through your nose for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 7, and exhale completely through your mouth for a count of 8. Repeat this cycle four times.

Benefits: This technique is known for its calming effects on the nervous system. By extending the exhale, it promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety, allowing creatives to clear their minds and approach their work with greater focus and clarity.

5. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)

How to Do It: Sit comfortably and close your right nostril with your thumb. Inhale deeply through your left nostril, then close the left nostril with your ring finger. Release your thumb from your right nostril and exhale through it. Inhale through the right nostril, close it, and exhale through the left. This completes one cycle.

Benefits: This practice helps balance the brain’s hemispheres, promoting mental clarity and calm. It can be especially useful for creatives looking to harmonize their analytical and intuitive thinking.

6. Sighing Breaths

How to Do It: Inhale deeply through your nose, then exhale with an audible sigh. Let go of any tension as you exhale, making the sigh sound exaggerated if you wish.

Benefits: Sighing is a natural way for the body to release tension. This simple technique helps relieve stress and can provide an immediate sense of relief, allowing your mind to reset and access creativity.

7. Visualization with Breathing

How to Do It: Pair any breathing technique with visualization. For instance, while practicing 4-7-8 breathing, visualize a calming scene—like a tranquil beach or a lush forest. As you breathe in, imagine drawing in inspiration; as you breathe out, visualize releasing stress or creative blocks.

Benefits: Combining breathing with visualization enhances relaxation and encourages a deeper connection to your creative source. It helps create a positive mental environment for idea generation.

Do They Really Work or is it Just Another Wellness Trend?

As a meditation practitioner and teacher, I can tell you firsthand—these techniques really work. Last year, we put them to the test at our agency when we rolled out a wellness program for our employees and creative team, and the results were incredible.

After a few weeks of practice, our team noticed a deeper sense of relaxation in their day-to-day, which made it easier to create without all the mental noise that usually gets in the way.

By incorporating these techniques into our workflow for just a month, we saw a big shift in our creative process. Ideas flowed more freely as we found some mental calm. And it wasn’t just about boosting creativity—it also helped us feel more balanced and at ease overall.

So, why not give it a shot and see how powerful mindful breathing can be—not just for your creativity, but for your whole life.

Living Fully: Just One Breathe at a Time.

Now that you’re aware of the power of true breathing techniques, let’s put this knowledge into action. Take a moment right now to try a simple breathing exercise—whether it’s diaphragmatic breathing or box breathing. Just a few minutes of focused breathing can create a noticeable shift in your mindset, paving the way for fresh ideas and clarity.

Ready to dive deeper? We’re excited to announce that we’re developing a new wellness program that will include these techniques and more. It’s specifically designed to help creatives cultivate a balanced, stress-free life and generate better ideas daily. This program is set to launch in 2025, and we’ll keep you updated!

Let’s start this journey together—your next great idea is just a breath away!

Ad Vault

Air is our vital energy source; each breath is an opportunity powered by the wind. 

From our Lento Vault, we revisit the 2007 Cannes Gold Lion-winning ad, "The Power of Wind," by Epuron. 

This storytelling masterpiece personifies the wind as a misunderstood force, highlighting its often overlooked potential—much like our breath.

The ad transforms insights into a compelling story, reminding us of the untapped energy in both wind and air.

Brand Wars - Calm v Headspace

Two giants. One breath at a time.

Calm. The quiet achiever. Sleek, minimal, and mood-first. Calm feels like a breath of fresh air before you even press play. It leans into emotional wellbeing with cinematic soundscapes, high-profile narrators (LeBron, anyone?), and a brand voice that’s soft but sure. We might be a little biased, we use Calm as part of our wellness program at Lento, but it delivers. The experience feels designed to exhale with.

Headspace. The chirpy teacher. From the bright colours to the rounded sans-serif font, Headspace comes in with clarity and approachability. The branding is playful and structured, like a meditation coach that shows up on time and smiles a lot. More educational, more guided. Less chill-out, more “let’s get you on track.”

Lento Vibes

A bit of random inspo from around the grounds:

• OpenAI Building a Social Platform: The AI race continues—OpenAI’s rumoured X competitor is in the works. Read more

• Kim K, Inflated: A 60-ft blow-up doll of Kim Kardashian just took over Times Square. See it here

• M&S Gets Brutal in the Cereal Aisle: Their ‘Only 1 Ingredient’ cornflakes call out over-processed rivals—loudly. Check it out

• Kuru Guru Is a Vibe: A chilled-out, bathrobe-wearing foot pain guru brings the weird to wellness. Watch the spot

• Brian Cox on Roller Skates for Malibu: Sunshine, surrealism, and a lot of legwork from Logan Roy. Watch the ad