Yoga at your desk

There is a solution for every problem!

If you cannot bring your time to the yoga mat, take yoga to your desk.  Below exercises come handy for internet addicts or if you are sitting in your car or on your chair. Try it, you won’t regret it.

1. Deep Breathing – While seated on the chair, reading or attending to an internet phone / call, take a deep inhale from your nose until you feel the abdomen expanded like a balloon. Hold for 4-5 seconds and gently exhale out fully squeezing your abdomen muscles inside. Repeat this  7 – 8 times keeping in mind that exhalation should be longer than inhalation.
2. Neck Stretch – Place your hands on the table or on thighs while sitting straight. Close eyes (if possible), Inhale deeply and turn the neck towards the right side while the right ear comes on top of the right shoulder, hold for 2-3 seconds, exhale fully and turn the neck to left side. This time the left ear tops up the left shoulder, hold for 2-3 seconds, inhale deep and take your neck upwards, facing the sky. Fall back your neck until you feel a good stretch in your throat, hold for 2-3 seconds, exhale fully and slowly bring the neck downwards and lock your chin to the chest. Hold here for 2-3 seconds, inhale and bring your neck back to the center. If you are holding each turn for over 5 seconds then breathe normally during every hold. After completion of this movement, rotate your neck in a circle clockwise and anti clockwise at a very gentle pace. Do the clockwise and anticlockwise rotations at least 3 times each
3. Shoulder Shrug – Sit straight with arms relaxed on both sides.  Bring both your shoulders up towards your ears while you inhale deeply and bring to the original position while exhaling. Repeat this for 7-8 times to release your stress and body relaxation
4. Eye Rotation – Sit straight on the chair, palms on the desk or on thighs, rotate both eyes together clockwise and anti – clockwise  in a circular motion for 3 times each. Breathe normally. After you complete the rotation, close your eyes, rub your palms and place gently on the eyes for 3-4 seconds.
5. Eye Cover – Give  a break to your eyes staring constantly at the laptop screen with this exercise. Sit straight, make position of your hands in a semi-circle shape by joining them together, palms facing your face at a distance of 3 inches. Take a deep inhale and slowly start bringing your hands towards your face while the light gradually dims around your eyes, in the final position your palms will be covering your face and your fingers will gently press your eyes. Hold this position for 3-4 seconds, start exhaling gently while you hands will move backwards slowly back to the original position and eyes open gently. Repeat this for 3 times. After you complete the rotation, close your eyes, rub your palms and place gently on the eyes for 3-4 seconds.
6. Energy Stretch – Sit Straight on the chair, adjust your position in such a way that the legs are at an angle of 45 degree from the chair and your feet are resting on the ground. Clasp your hands with palms facing outwards. Raise your arms touching your ears and keep them tight against the ears. Take a deep inhale and stretch yourself fully from head to toe. Your arms, torso, stomach will be stretching upwards while your legs and feet will be stretched outwards. Hold this position for 2-3 seconds and gently exhale fully to regain the original posture
7. Cat Stretch – Make sure that you are sitting straight on the chair at an arm’s length from the desktop. Place your hands on the desktop with palms facing downwards and bend down at an angle of 90 degree. Make sure that your back  is straight in this position. Take a deep inhale and stretch your body from your palms all the way to your back. Hold this for 3-4 seconds and gently loose your body with a fuller exhalation
8. Anger – Cutter – This one is for all those screen slaves who sometimes feel frustrated and angry over bosses, colleagues, friends and others connected through the virtual way. Sit straight on your chair, stretch your arms in front of you with palms facing you.  Keep your fingers apart and now make a position of your hands like that of a tiger claw. Now inhale deeply and start pulling your hands towards your chest with force, imagine that you are pulling a heavy weight towards you.  Stop at an inch’s gap from your chest, now exhale with a force from nose and push your arms back to the original position in one go. Repeat this exercise for 3 times and see your anger melting like an ice cream
9. Abs Crunch – yes, it is possible..right sitting on that chair. Place your chair against the wall, sit straight. Your hands will be placed by your thighs on the chair. Do not hold the chair but press hands down the chair firmly. Now inhale and lift your legs up until your legs are locked to your abdomen, exhale and place your legs back on the floor. In the beginning, do this movement for 10 – 15 mins and gradually increase the pace and counts up to 25 – 30 as per your strength. 
10. Wrist Movement  – Often heavy usage of keyboard causes pain not only in our hands but our wrists too leaving them weak. While working on your laptop, take a break and do wrist rotations, clock wise and anti clock wise. Make fists and press your hands downwards and upwards with a little stretch. 

Besides the above, create a ‘my space‘ corner at your desk. Include your family photos, Feng-Shui, lucky charms, smiley posters, chocolates, handmade cards from loved ones to give you a smile and ease out your work stress.