Regardless of your occupation, we all encounter physical and mental burdens from work. Demanding schedules and repetitive work-related postures often leave the body and mind drained.
Yoga is a very popular mental and physical discipline that is well documented to alleviate the effects of work-related stresses.
Did you know that it takes just three, long, slow, deep breaths to center the body and bring you back to an energised, rejuvenated state?
Each week the elliotts boardroom is transformed into a yoga studio, and our instructor guides us through a series of postures and breathing exercises to help relieve the stresses from week to week.
You can easily perform a handful of yoga stretches that will supply the cells with energy and revitalise the spine.
Below are 5 Yoga stretches that can be performed at your desk. Do these each day and notice how different you will feel.
1. Stand (with legs slightly bent and feet hip-width apart). Hold your abdominals tight. Your head, neck, and shoulders should stay relaxed. With your back straight, clasp your hands behind your back.
2. Lift your arms as high as you can. Lift your sternum. Try not to arch your back.
3. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds, relax for a moment, then repeat.
1. Interlock your fingers and extend your arms outward, straight in front of your shoulders. Your palms should be facing outward.
2. Slowly raise your hands overhead, stretching all the way from the waist. Work on straightening your elbows. Try to keep your back straight, tucking the pelvis under.
3. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds, relax, and repeat.
1. Sit on the edge of your chair, sideways, with your left side facing the chair back. It’s usually best to use a chair without armrests to do this stretch.
2. Throughout the pose, keep your feet and knees together and even. Place your right hand on the back of the chair and your left on the base of the chair.
3. Inhale while straightening your spine. As you exhale, twist toward the front of the chair, twisting from the very bottom of your spine — pushing with your left hand and pulling with your right hand.
4. Repeat entire series several times. Don’t forget to switch sides.
1. Sit in your chair and widen your legs so they are wider than hip-distance apart.
2. From the hip crease, bend forward and allow your entire body to relax. You can round your back. Drop your head and completely relax your neck.
3. If you are not completely comfortable, try putting a rolled blanket or towel at the hip crease and lean over again.
4. Hold this pose as long as you like, allowing each exhalation to relax your body and mind a little more. Sit up on an inhalation, relax, repeat.
1. Sit near the edge of the chair, extend your right leg directly in front of you and with a slight bend.
2. Either place a tie around the ball of your right foot or hold onto the sides of the chair.
3. Lengthen your back, lift your sternum, and relax your throat, neck, and shoulders.
4. Bend slightly forward from the hip crease. Only bend as far forward as you can with your back straight.
5. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds, then relax and switch sides.
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