Just can’t wait for your after-work yoga class, or can’t make the time to squeeze in a lunchtime flow? We feel you. Here are 5 simple yoga poses that you can easily squeeze into your working day – without getting too much attention from your co-workers.
Seated side bend
Easy peasy – and no-one will even notice what you’re up to. When we’re hunching over our desks and computers – as we tend to do – the side body can suffer. This stretch is a beautiful way to reset the spine and the sides of your body, and it’ll help to wake you up a little bit too.
Wrist stretches
Again, this is a nice subtle way to get some yoga in. Typing and writing can take their toll on our wrists, so taking some time to stretch them out is really important. It can be as simple as just rolling out the wrists and stretching through the fingers, or you can extend your arms out, flip palms up, take your right hand to left fingertips and gently guide them back towards you, and repeat on the other side. Then flip the palms down (like in the picture) and softly press your wrist back towards your body.
Tree Pose
Okay, it’s not quite as subtle as options no. 1 and 2. But while you’re waiting for your photocopies, or for the kettle to boil, why not try out some balancing? This one has the added benefit of improving your concentration and your focus. That’s probably worth any funny looks you might get, right?
Seated Cat/Cow
I admit that a regular round of Cat/Cow might draw more attention to you than you would like. But there’s a seated version you can try! Start with a long, straight spine, and then inhale to arch the spine and draw shoulders back and down, and exhale to round the spine, drawing your navel towards spine.
Forward Fold
Dropped a pencil? Need to tie your shoelaces? Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and slowly melt the body forward, bending from the waist with a loooong exhale. Keep your knees bent, and then slowly stand back up, letting your the crown of the head come up last.
There you have it! Try incorporating some of these into your work day, and let us know how it goes. And remember that the most important thing of all is to breathe – if nothing else, start to pay a little more attention to that, and watch the magic start to happen! 🙂
