This exercise is crucial for increasing control of your vocal strength and quality. This is a type of breathing that is mastered by singers, musicians, dancers, and actors, and it is equally useful for speaking on the telephone. Set aside five minutes for this exercise, three times a day.

• Stand in front of a mirror or a partner so that you can see or get feedback on what you are doing.
• Place your fingers lightly on your diaphragm, just beneath your rib cage above your waistband. Feel the movement as you breathe.
• Inhale slowly through your nose or mouth, directing the air to your diaphragm. You will feel the diaphragm move forward; your shoulders and upper chest should not move at all.
• Hold the inhaled air for three seconds.
• Exhale slowly, counting to twenty by saying "one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand…" until you reach "twenty one thousand."
• Stop when your exhale becomes a strain.
• If this is the first time you've tried this exercise, you probably won't reach twenty in one breath. Repeat the exercise three times a day until you can reach twenty comfortably.