10-Minute Desk Yoga You'll Actually Want to Practice During Work

"Throughout my years of teaching yoga in corporate settings, I've heard many people say that they just don't have time for yoga on work days. It's understandable. Squeezing in a practice usually becomes the lowest priority in a day crammed full of emails, meetings, and endless to-dos. Still, I've found that after I guide groups through a less than 10-minute yoga sequence at their desks, they're often surprised by how simple, practical, and stress-relieving it can be."

"After listening to more and more desk workers, I've learned that an even bigger obstacle to practicing desk yoga isn't related to time at all, but how comfortable people feel doing it. Big, obvious movements can sometimes draw attention and make people self-conscious in a professional environment. That's why I started teaching subtle desk stretches, or movements that can be done discreetly yet offer powerful relief from long hours of sitting-regardless of whether you're surrounded by coworkers or at home in your sweatpants."

"This desk-friendly sequence is quick, doesn't require a mat, and targets the hips, lower back, shoulders, chest, and wrists. In other words, all the muscles that are most affected by hours of sitting. The benefits include not only feeling less pain and stiffness in your body, but promoting circulation, helping improve posture, and gaining mental clarity for a more sustainable work day."

Short, desk-friendly yoga sequences under ten minutes can be performed discreetly at a workstation and effectively target hips, lower back, shoulders, chest, and wrists. Subtle desk stretches reduce pain and stiffness, promote circulation, improve posture, and enhance mental clarity for a more sustainable workday. Immediate physical and mental effects often include lifted shoulders, deeper breathing, and sharpened focus. Time is not the only barrier to practice; self-consciousness about visible movements discourages many people. Simple tips include keeping feet flat on the floor to help prevent lower-back strain and choosing small, unobtrusive movements like neck rolls to soothe tension.

Read at Yoga Journal