Yoga at the workplace

Cubicle confusion
Are you being forced to deliver twenty-four hours worth of work done in eight? Do you have a tyrant boss or a colleague who pulls your leg a bit too often? Are your eyes burning and your back hurting from staring at the computer for hours and hours?

Take a break. Yoga at your cubicle desk makes sense and provides relief from work induced stress. You will feel better and be more alert if you take a short break every hour or two and stretch some muscles.

Yoga at your desk
Practicing yoga at your desk can rejuvenate your brain, and bring life back into your muscles. Here are some step by step yogic exercises that you can do at your desk. All you need is a stable desk and a chair:

Five office desk asanas
Asana 1
Begin with your breathing---that is absolutely fundamental. Stress can make your breathing shallow and quick, particularly when you are at work. Firstly, shut your office door and turn off your computer. Next sit on your office chair with your feet hips-distance apart, flat on the floor. Then close your eyes and take a deep inhale followed by a deep exhale through your nose. Keep your mouth closed. Don’t forget to count to three slowly as you inhale and count to three slowly as you exhale. As you do this, relax the muscles in your face, unfurrow your forehead and eyebrows, unclench your jaws and lengthen the back of your spine while drawing your shoulders away from your ears. In this posture, take at least 10 breaths.

Asana 2
Loosen your shoulders. Raise your arms over your head and have the palms of your hands face one another. Keep breathing deeply through your nose. Draw your shoulders down your back as you lengthen up through the top of your head. Do this asana for five deep breaths. Next, extend your arms straight out in front of you so that they are at chest level. With palms still facing one another, extend your fingers out, hunching your shoulders slightly. Then, draw your shoulders back but pay special attention to not lift your shoulders into your ears. Keep drawing your shoulder blades down your back as you continue to extend through your fingertips. Do this movement five times.

Asana 3
Straighten your upper body. Be seated and allow your breath to lift up through the frontof your chest on an inhalation. Interlace your fingers and reach your arms behind you. Then, lean forward keeping the front of your spine straight and lift your arms up toward the ceiling. As you do this, press your shoulder blades in toward one another and draw them down your back. Lift your arms as far as they feel comfortable. Having done that, stay there for three breaths. Lower your arms again and repeat this exercise four more times.

Asana 4
Stand up. Move away from your desk. Inhale and lift your arms over your head while you have your feet together. Fold forward bringing your hands to the floor or near the floor, as you exhale. Bend your knees as you fold forward, to avoid lower back problems. Stay here for one complete breath cycle. Then, leading with your chest on an inhalation, raise your arms up over your head as you return to standing. Look at your hands when you bring your palms together. Return to your starting position and as you exhale, lower your hands to your sides. Lead with the front of your chest as you both fold forward and come up. Let not your shoulders hunch as you make your way in and out of this posture. Keep your spine straight by lifting your chin and your eyes gazing beyond the tip of your nose as you fold forward and come up. Do this five times.

Asana 5
Relax and rejuvenate. Sit down on your chair or settle down in a comfortable cross-legged position on the floor of your office. Focus on your breath and close your eyes. Let all your confusion and wandering thoughts be neutralized by focusing on your breath. With relaxed muscles on your face and elongated spine---stay in this posture for five minutes or longer.