Tag Archives: yoga at work

Tiny Tips Tuesday: Yoga at Your Desk

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Today begins a new series here at Teacher Goes Back to School: Tiny Tips Tuesday!

Every Tuesday I am going to share my hand-to-the-forehead simple tips to make your life and self-care easier.

Tiny Tips Tuesday #1 – Yoga at Your Desk

tiny tip tuesday #1

Do you ever wish you had more time for yoga in your day?

Me too. There just isn’t enough time to run a class every time my body gets tired or stiff or sore.

For instance, last week after returning home from a wedding in Santa Fe where I did precisely no yoga despite my body hurting from all the sitting I’d done over the weekend, I decided I needed to figure out how to get more yoga in my already super full schedule.

During Savasana in my favorite class (Madeleine at It’s All Yoga) my brain took over trying to solve this problem and BOOM! The idea of setting an alarm on my cell phone and practicing one or two poses during the day on my own was born.

Simple and easy, just like I like it.

Set an alarm on your phone reminding you to stop what you are doing and bust a yoga move or two. Nothing fancy, no need to change clothes – just maybe a desk cat/cow or some super slow neck rolls or a quick desk down dog.

Every day at 10:45 my smart phone tells me it is time for yoga.

I check in with what is calling out for the most attention and I start there. I spend a couple of minutes each morning moving and stretching and I have already felt a huge difference in how my body feels.

Want to try it?

First, decide what time works for you on most days.

Second, set your alarm.

Next, determine what part of your body needs the most help at the moment, I go with what hurts most: low back, hips, wrists, neck, shoulders.

Last, bust your move or two and get back to work.

Need some help with the actual poses?

Try these:

Yoga Journal has a free video series – two minutes a day for 15 days.

Vanderbilt University has a handy desk yoga guide.

Popsugar has some ideas.

Do you do yoga during your work day?

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How To Make It Through The Afternoon Without More Coffee or Trip to the Vending Machine

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Alternate post title: Turn Your Work Day Upside Down (In the Best Possible Way)

make it through the day

Do you often wonder how you are going to get through the rest of your workday? Or do you just get over yourself and order another coffee or pick up a sugar snack from the vending machine?

I have another way!  It’s free and easy and will leave you feeling pretty dang refreshed.

I used to do it at recess or lunch break when I was teaching and it totally helped me not grab for the extra caffeine and sugar which would ultimately leave me with an energy slump soon after.

If you ever get a chance to take a live class with me, at some point I will give you a daily yoga challenge/prescription that will change your life should you choose to accept it.

15 minutes of Viparita Karani or Legs Up the Wall.

After taking a full 90 minute restorative class with me recently, Jeanne took that challenge back to her office.

I asked Jeanne about her office yoga experiment and here’s what she have to say about it.

How many people participate?

JH:  3-8 people, depending on the day/time. We meet at 10 am and 3 pm each day.

How long do you practice?

JH:  We started with 5 minutes, now we are doing 10 minutes.

What’s the instruction?

JH:  I show people how to get set up and they follow. I tell them to let it all go – notice if they are trying to hold themselves off of the floor. Remind them to breathe. There is often a lot of chatter, so I suggest that we do not talk. Sometimes this works, most times it does not.

What’s the tone of the time in legs up the wall?

JH:  The tone in our office is pretty relaxed – we are perpetually busy, but we try to have fun doing it. So at 10 am, everyone is jacked on coffee and getting their morning underway, so the 10 am time is very nice to break up the morning crack-heads. The afternoon is more of a refresher, to get through the remaining time in the day.

How are people feeling before, during and after the legs up the wall party?

JH:  As I mentioned, before our session, people are either cracked out (10 am) or in a Food coma/end of day lull (3 pm). But regardless, during the mood is SO relaxed and goofy.

Everyone begins by cracking jokes, laughing, sighing, and ultimately silence does come at the last few minutes.

After the session, everyone rolls onto their side in a fetal position for at least 10 seconds before they come up. I have told them to TAKE THEIR TIME coming up. Afterward everyone moves a bit slower and has a smile.

How has this changed the atmosphere in the office?

JH:  The atmosphere has always been fun, but I think it’s created a different bond between certain people. We recently consolidated operations and had 6 people move from an office in Salinas to our office in Loomis. Combining forces has been great so far, and we have invited some of the new additions, and one did join (a male)! I think people feel more easy going and less apprehensive with each other, when they have a work-related issue- we can “out” ourselves on a mistake or an area of lacking knowledge, without feeling inferior. It’s more playful and “chill”.

What do you think, friends? Would you try yoga at work?