Office work can be stressful and tiring sometimes, especially when you have to slouch at your desk for 8 hours straight. This can affect both your physical and mental health badly. The anxiety of compromising health for work is a problem concerning most people especially when one spends most of his/her time in the office. So how can we deal with the stress and tiredness?
Yoga is the perfect solution to let off steam, relieve the stiffness and improve your energy. Doing yoga in the office has many benefits. First of all, it can be fun, relaxing and healthy. Yoga will help to relieve the stiffness from prolonged working and work stress. Whatever your work demands, yoga can help to protect your mind and body from the damaging effects of stress and improve overall energy and productivity. Here are some simple yoga exercises you can perform at the comfort of your office desk to improve your quality of life at the office.
Wrist and Finger Stretch
- While sitting, take the fingertips of one hand into the palm of your other hand.
- Extend that same arm forward, at shoulder-height, and gently pull your fingers down toward the back of your wrist until you feel a slight stretch.
- Count to five or 10, then switch hands.
Neck Roll
- Close your eyes, and let your chin drop down to your chest.
- Begin the circular motion of your neck slowly, by moving the right ear to the right shoulder, taking the head backwards and then bringing the left ear to the left shoulder.
- Keep your shoulders loose and relax.
- Rotate your neck 3-5 times and then switch directions.
Cow Stretch (Seated Bitilasana)
- Keep your feet on the floor.
- Bring both hands on your knees.
- While inhaling, stretch your back backwards and look towards the ceiling.
- While exhaling, stretch your back forward and drop your head forward.
- Repeat this exercise for 3-5 breaths.
Forward Fold (Seated Uttanasana)
- From shoulder stretch, drop your arms to the floor, along with the top of your head.
- Fingertips can graze the ground, but if that feels like too much, they can also rest on your shins or knees.
- Keep your weight even or slightly forward onto the balls of your feet.
Eagle Arms (Seated Garudasana)
- Stretch your arms straight in front of your body and parallel to the floor. Palms facing the ceiling.
- Cross your right arm over the left (bend your arm slightly at the elbow if needed). Bring both palms together.
- Lift both elbows. The shoulders slide down your back.
- Repeat this exercise with the left arm over the right.
Doing these simple yoga poses can help you relax your body, clear your mind and improve concentration. Setting aside some time from your work-time to do some yoga can help both your health and work big time. Also implementing a yoga program in the office can benefit employees to manage the stressful environment, maintain their physical well-being, and enhance productivity.
