If you often leave your office at the end of a long day with lower back pain, tight shoulders, a sore neck or tired eyes, feeling fatigued from slouching hours after hours in front of the computer screen and possibly emotionally drained from arguing and getting angry with colleagues or about your job, you are not alone.
Negative behaviour and thoughts can also influence and lead to a bad posture e.g. tight/tense shoulders and neck etc, and have us feeling nervous and stressed. Given all the benefits yoga offers, it is no surprise then that mindfulness at the office can help improve your well-being. Yoga is not just about putting your body into different postures. Yoga includes being mindful about your thoughts and actions. If you are a yogi you will probably be already aware of the little tweaks, adjustments and of course yoga postures you can try at your desk.
And if you have never done yoga before? Simply try a few or all of the below tips and if you like, let me know how it went.
Be upbeat
Try being polite, having a positive attitude, smile, ask a colleague in distress if you can help, hold open a door or compliment a colleague on a great presentation given.
Treat yourself well
Have 10-minute screen breaks every 2 hours resting your eyes, performing different tasks such as making yourself a delicious cup of tea, focusing on objects away from the screen, enjoying the scenery outside your window or a favourite snapshot decorating your office wall, standing up and taking a stroll after longer periods of being seated, or doing light stretches of the fingers, hands, arms and torso. Making small changes to the working position frequently helps to have you feeling happier and healthier at the end of the day. Physical variety and regular breaks from the computer will help relax body and mind.
For a selection of simple stretches, see my blog post titled 5 minute yoga to recharge at the office
Performing stretches will also help reinvigorate the body and mind increasing productivity and reducing discomfort
Last but not least ensure you nourish your body over the course of a long work day. Hours on end without food are a no-no. Since office food mostly has to be convenient get creative about what you eat to fuel your body. Making sure it is nutritious. Make time in the morning or previous evening to prepare a healthy meal consisting of lots of different fresh vegetables and your choice of protein to take to the office for a tasty and satisfying lunch. Add a snack such as a handful of nuts, tasty fruit and lots of water to keep you going through the day.
Make every day a yogi day.
Zenergy Yoga & Meditation 