Holding the Breath
I notice a tendency in me to hold the breath when I engage in a difficult task, and - from the reports of others - this seems to be a common human tendency.
And I also notice that when I hold the breath, thoughts quiet down and leave a clearer space.
I wonder if this is an almost instinctual way we have found to quiet thoughts and find a clear(er) space to act from. Of course, it is only a limited and temporary solution (neither the lack of oxygen nor the tension that goes along with it helps us act with clarity and accuracy). Another approach is to find myself as capacity and space for the thoughts and whatever else arises in the present. From here, I have an effortless and always available clarity I can act from.