To reap the rewards of office yoga, you don't need to sacrifice your lunch hour for class, stand on your head in the break room, or chant "OM" loudly at your desk. You can easily integrate yoga into your workday in subtle ways that deliver big benefits.
Mini breathing meditation —
Sit comfortably with both feet on the floor. Establish good posture by exhaling as you drop your ribcage down in front and your shoulder blades down in back. Rest your hands on the tops of your legs with your palms up. Close your eyes. Relax your jaw, resting your lips in a slight smile. Take conscious control of your breathing, emphasizing your first few exhales, like sighs of relief. Tune out distractions, focusing all of your attention on expanding your lower ribs on inhalation and contracting them on exhalation. Try breathing long and deep at the following pace: 5-count inhale, 7-count exhale. Once you've established a comfortable breathing rhythm, count your breaths backwards from ten to one. Open your eyes and notice your profound change in perspective.
Figure-four hip opener —
Bracing yourself by holding your chair or desk, shift your weight to your left leg. Place your right foot on your left thigh above your knee in a figure-four position. Exhale as you sit back as deeply as you can without discomfort. Hold for five long, deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.
Warrior One with hip flexor release —
Place your left hand lightly on top of your chair or desk, step your right foot back into a short lunge. Drop your back heel and point your toes out slightly. Bend your front knee to align above your ankle, keeping your back leg straight. Inhale as you lift your right arm up and over your head. Exhale as you side bend to the left. Keep your core activated for balance and avoid arching your lower back. Press the front of your right hip forward to release your right hip flexors. Hold for three long, deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.
Standing hamstring stretch —
While holding your chair back or desk for balance, place your left foot on the seat of your chair. If necessary, lower your chair height to a safe, comfortable level. Keep your hips squared and your left toes in dorsi flexion (pointing up). Exhale as you flex from your hips — as opposed to rounding your back — to bend forward toward your leg. Hold for three long, deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.
Seated twist with reach back —
From a seated position at your desk, inhale as you reach your right arm forward at shoulder height with your palm up. Exhale as you reach back to the right, internally rotating your left lower ribcage to facilitate the twist. Activate the muscles just below your right shoulder blade to pull it down toward your waist and slightly in toward your spine. Hold for three long, deep breaths. Repeat on the other side. If your chair back is higher than shoulder level, you'll need to angle your lower body so that your knees point in the opposite direction you're twisting to give you enough room to reach behind you.