What else should you do while at work to stay healthy? Why not add some yoga to your workday. Check out this guest post from Serio Diaz on 3 tips for yoga at work.
As you read this title you are probably saying to yourself, “How can I do yoga at the office?” While of course there is no way you could do an entire series or class, there are still ways you can incorporate it at work. More importantly, its vital that you do some type of yoga during the day otherwise your health can be at risk.
Get Off Your Butt!
It’s no big secret that our sedentary lifestyle is taking a toll on our lives. We sit in front of our desk all day and then go home and watch TV or hang out on Facebook for the rest of the night. I dare you to actually count the hours you spend on your butt or back (I dare you!). Between sleeping, working, and driving, you are hardly ever on your feet and our bodies were designed to be upright. This is why incorporating some yoga practice can make all the difference in the world to break the monotony.
Yoga Can Feel Overwhelming
When people think of yoga, they conjure up all kinds of crazy poses that they could barely do and it can feel a bit overwhelming. So much so that we talk ourselves out of doing it and push it off to the weekend. The truth is that with a few good poses and moves you can actually incorporate it into your daily routine quite easily. But there is something even more important here: breathing.
What Yoga Really Is
Because of our media we associate yoga with some sort of pose of someone bending backwards and looking like a pretzel. The truth is that yoga started off as a practice based around breathing and meditation. Stress is caused by short breath and when you are sitting all day you are not taking full deep breathes. When you do (ever heard of runners high?) it oxygenates the body allowing your blood to circulate at its proper rate that reduces stress. So you want to focus on your breathing and body posture.
3 Yoga Tips For Work
Tip #1 – Breath Deep and Slow
As you sit at your desk try to get in the habit of breathing deep into your diaphragm and at a slow pace. Short quick breaths are what’s causing you all that stress. The next time you are in an argument or “heavy” situation, notice how you stop breathing.
Tip #2 – Take Breaks
Make a commitment and at five minutes to the hour (10:55, 11:55, 12:55, etc…) to stand up and stretch up and down to your feet. Shake your body so that it circulates your blood. Jump up and down (this is what they do in Kundalini Yoga) so that you can get things moving.
Tip #3 – Low Back Stretching
After spending time sitting it is important to stretch your lower back. Place your hands at the curvature of your lower spine/tailbone and as you stand, bend back using your hands as support. When we hunch over all day this is what causes so much of our back problems so this helps to counter that.
Yoga While At Work
If you can commit to five minutes every hour during the entire day (40 minutes) you would be surprised at how much of a difference this will make. Of course this is not going to be the same as a full yoga practice, but something is better then nothing!
About the Author: As the founder of Yoga Training Guide, Sergio Diaz has been supporting students interested in taking their yoga teacher training program. He has been practicing yoga for twelve years and worked for the largest health and yoga media company Gaiam.
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