Isn"t There a Corporate Policy Against Doing Yoga at Work?
Before I became a yoga teacher in 2009 I used to write corporate policies for 20+ years.
Just in case you were wondering, there's no policy against using yoga at your desk during the workday to reduce stress.
In fact, Human Resource Departments are scrambling to find yoga teachers to offer classes during the work day for their employees.
You've heard yoga is 'good for you' and the medical studies prove its health benefits for migraines, headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel and stress reduction.
You were never really sure if yoga would be too 'woo woo'.
As an office professional your life in the cube or office is pretty serious and you simply don't do 'woo woo'.
The reality is that yoga is about as mainstream in America as baseball with more than 14 million people practicing yoga in the U.
S.
Another reality is that one doesn't have to join gym or yoga studio to get the benefits; benefits from yoga are possible within your own office environment.
Desk yoga, chair yoga and corporate yoga classes at work are all becoming the norm in corporate America.
What is yoga? The Hatha yoga philosophy is to use yoga poses that simultaneously engage the body with the breath.
This process triggers the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) that is responsible for bringing equilibrium to its response system and helps to lower heart rate and blood pressure as well as stimulate the immune and endocrine systems.
Doing yoga in the office brings all the benefits of this 1,000 year-old practice right where you need it the most, in the office where you spend most of your waking hours at a desk and keyboard.
There's no need to spend more than 15 minutes a day to receive yoga's benefits.
Nor is it necessary to rush to the gym or yoga studio for an hour-long yoga class since there are several simple poses you can do right where you are.
Benefits from doing yoga at work include:
Begin sitting in Seated Mountain pose with your feet parallel to each other, hip-distance apart, your back away from the back of your chair and feet flat on the floor.
2.
Place your RIGHT elbow on the table top in front of you or on an armrest and open your right palm as if you were going to carry a tray like a restaurant server.
3.
Place your left palm onto the four fingers of your right hand and gently apply downward pressure to the fingers.
4.
Feel the wrist and forearm open.
Slowly count to 5 on each inhale and count to 5 on each exhale.
Inhale to the count of 5, exhale to the count of 5.
Inhale to the count of 5, exhale to the count of 5.
5.
Release when you're ready.
6.
Place your LEFT elbow on the table top in front of you or on an armrest and open your left palm as if you were going to carry a tray like a restaurant server.
7.
Place your right palm onto the four fingers of your left hand and gently apply downward pressure to the fingers.
8.
Feel the wrist and forearm open.
Slowly count to 5 on each inhale and count to 5 on each exhale.
Inhale to the count of 5, exhale to the count of 5.
Inhale to the count of 5, exhale to the count of 5.
9.
Release when you're ready and feel the openness in your forearms & wrists.
Sitting in a desk all day can result in a tight lower back, try this SEATED TORSO TWIST to relieve tension: 1.
Begin sitting in Seated Mountain pose with your feet parallel to each other, hip-distance apart, your back away from the back of your chair and feet flat on the floor.
2.
Place your left hand on your right knee, place your right hand on either the armrest or the back of chair (based on the chair design and your level of comfort).
3.
Take an inhale and on the exhalation, twist your torso to the right and gaze out over your right shoulder for 3 breaths; your chair and pelvis should continue to face forward.
4.
Maintain the torso twist to the right but turn your face to the left, then gently tilt your head to your left shoulder opening the right side of your neck to the ceiling for an extra neck stretch holding this for 3 breaths.
5.
Gently come out of the twist to face forward.
6.
Place your right hand on your left knee, place your left hand on either the armrest or the back of the chair (based on the chair design and your level of comfort).
7.
Take an inhale and on the exhalation, twist your torso to the left and gaze out over your left shoulder for 3 breaths.
8.
Maintain the torso twist to the left but turn your face to the right, then gently tilt your head to your right shoulder opening the left side of your neck to the ceiling for an extra neck stretch holding this for 3 breaths.
9.
Gently come out of the twist to face forward.
Here's a good standing yoga poses to do at work HAMSTRING STRETCH & TORSO TWIST: 1.
Consider taking your shoes off for this pose if you were brought up to keep your feet off of the furniture.
2.
Stand with your feet parallel to each other, hip-distance apart with a chair seat or desk top about 3' in front of you.
3.
Place your right heel on the chair seat or if your hamstring is more flexible place the heel on the desk top.
4.
On an inhale raise your arms overhead with palms facing each other; feel the stretch in the belly of your hamstring.
5.
Hold this pose; Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
6.
On your next exhale bring your left hand to your right knee and twist your torso to the right looking over your right shoulder; your right hand can rest on your hip.
7.
Hold this pose; Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
8.
On your next inhale come to the center and on the exhale place your right foot back on the floor.
9.
Place your left heel on the chair seat or table/desk top.
10.
On an inhale raise your arms overhead with palms facing each other; feel the stretch in the belly of your hamstring.
11.
Hold this pose; Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
12.
On your next exhale bring your right hand to your left knee and twist your torso to the left looking over your left shoulder; your left hand can rest on your hip.
13.
Hold this pose; Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1 14.
On your next inhale come to the center and on the exhale place your left foot back on the floor.
Just in case you were wondering, there's no policy against using yoga at your desk during the workday to reduce stress.
In fact, Human Resource Departments are scrambling to find yoga teachers to offer classes during the work day for their employees.
You've heard yoga is 'good for you' and the medical studies prove its health benefits for migraines, headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel and stress reduction.
You were never really sure if yoga would be too 'woo woo'.
As an office professional your life in the cube or office is pretty serious and you simply don't do 'woo woo'.
The reality is that yoga is about as mainstream in America as baseball with more than 14 million people practicing yoga in the U.
S.
Another reality is that one doesn't have to join gym or yoga studio to get the benefits; benefits from yoga are possible within your own office environment.
Desk yoga, chair yoga and corporate yoga classes at work are all becoming the norm in corporate America.
What is yoga? The Hatha yoga philosophy is to use yoga poses that simultaneously engage the body with the breath.
This process triggers the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) that is responsible for bringing equilibrium to its response system and helps to lower heart rate and blood pressure as well as stimulate the immune and endocrine systems.
Doing yoga in the office brings all the benefits of this 1,000 year-old practice right where you need it the most, in the office where you spend most of your waking hours at a desk and keyboard.
There's no need to spend more than 15 minutes a day to receive yoga's benefits.
Nor is it necessary to rush to the gym or yoga studio for an hour-long yoga class since there are several simple poses you can do right where you are.
Benefits from doing yoga at work include:
- Increased ability to focus and concentrate
- Boosts to productivity and effectiveness
- Reduction of carpal tunnel 'tingling'
- More flexibility in your spine for lower back and neck comfort
Begin sitting in Seated Mountain pose with your feet parallel to each other, hip-distance apart, your back away from the back of your chair and feet flat on the floor.
2.
Place your RIGHT elbow on the table top in front of you or on an armrest and open your right palm as if you were going to carry a tray like a restaurant server.
3.
Place your left palm onto the four fingers of your right hand and gently apply downward pressure to the fingers.
4.
Feel the wrist and forearm open.
Slowly count to 5 on each inhale and count to 5 on each exhale.
Inhale to the count of 5, exhale to the count of 5.
Inhale to the count of 5, exhale to the count of 5.
5.
Release when you're ready.
6.
Place your LEFT elbow on the table top in front of you or on an armrest and open your left palm as if you were going to carry a tray like a restaurant server.
7.
Place your right palm onto the four fingers of your left hand and gently apply downward pressure to the fingers.
8.
Feel the wrist and forearm open.
Slowly count to 5 on each inhale and count to 5 on each exhale.
Inhale to the count of 5, exhale to the count of 5.
Inhale to the count of 5, exhale to the count of 5.
9.
Release when you're ready and feel the openness in your forearms & wrists.
Sitting in a desk all day can result in a tight lower back, try this SEATED TORSO TWIST to relieve tension: 1.
Begin sitting in Seated Mountain pose with your feet parallel to each other, hip-distance apart, your back away from the back of your chair and feet flat on the floor.
2.
Place your left hand on your right knee, place your right hand on either the armrest or the back of chair (based on the chair design and your level of comfort).
3.
Take an inhale and on the exhalation, twist your torso to the right and gaze out over your right shoulder for 3 breaths; your chair and pelvis should continue to face forward.
4.
Maintain the torso twist to the right but turn your face to the left, then gently tilt your head to your left shoulder opening the right side of your neck to the ceiling for an extra neck stretch holding this for 3 breaths.
5.
Gently come out of the twist to face forward.
6.
Place your right hand on your left knee, place your left hand on either the armrest or the back of the chair (based on the chair design and your level of comfort).
7.
Take an inhale and on the exhalation, twist your torso to the left and gaze out over your left shoulder for 3 breaths.
8.
Maintain the torso twist to the left but turn your face to the right, then gently tilt your head to your right shoulder opening the left side of your neck to the ceiling for an extra neck stretch holding this for 3 breaths.
9.
Gently come out of the twist to face forward.
Here's a good standing yoga poses to do at work HAMSTRING STRETCH & TORSO TWIST: 1.
Consider taking your shoes off for this pose if you were brought up to keep your feet off of the furniture.
2.
Stand with your feet parallel to each other, hip-distance apart with a chair seat or desk top about 3' in front of you.
3.
Place your right heel on the chair seat or if your hamstring is more flexible place the heel on the desk top.
4.
On an inhale raise your arms overhead with palms facing each other; feel the stretch in the belly of your hamstring.
5.
Hold this pose; Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
6.
On your next exhale bring your left hand to your right knee and twist your torso to the right looking over your right shoulder; your right hand can rest on your hip.
7.
Hold this pose; Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
8.
On your next inhale come to the center and on the exhale place your right foot back on the floor.
9.
Place your left heel on the chair seat or table/desk top.
10.
On an inhale raise your arms overhead with palms facing each other; feel the stretch in the belly of your hamstring.
11.
Hold this pose; Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
12.
On your next exhale bring your right hand to your left knee and twist your torso to the left looking over your left shoulder; your left hand can rest on your hip.
13.
Hold this pose; Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1.
Inhaling 1-2-3.
Exhaling 3-2-1 14.
On your next inhale come to the center and on the exhale place your left foot back on the floor.
