In the workspace, gone are the days when employee welfare took a backseat to make way for longer hours and larger paychecks. Now, health and employee well-being is coming front and center. In fact, studies on Real Business show how self-care is now heavily encouraged in the workspace. After all, companies can only benefit from happy employees who show up to work feeling great.
With the rise of wellness, yoga is becoming a popular activity for those looking to lead healthier lifestyles—not just strict yogis and flexible fitness buffs. It's an especially good option for working professionals, since it boasts both physical and mental benefits. Plus, you'd be surprised how easy it is to do almost anytime and anywhere. Here are more benefits of doing yoga at work.
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Expels the negativity
Whether it’s due to deadlines or difficult colleagues, it’s normal to feel a little frustrated. And while venting to a coworker is good, yoga is another option that will help you release some of those negative emotions in a gentler way. Recenter yourself with some “heart-opening” poses like the reverse prayer and cobra, which symbolize a sort of "surrender" to the world around you. After all, the sooner you let go of any work-related negativity, the more productive you’ll be.
Alleviates body pain
The average Mexican adult spends about seven hours a day just sitting, which is the highest it's ever been. It's no surprise that this habit has detrimental long-term effects on the body. Being sedentary for long periods of time causes a lot of chronic aching and tension around the body, including your lower back, hip, shoulders, and neck. Pain Free Working recommends doing a few yoga stretches to alleviate back pain, such as the sphinx and up dog. Fortunately, you can modify them to be doable at your desk. For example, you can perform the up dog with your legs on the floor and arms flat on the table. Meanwhile, the pigeon pose and crescent moon (which works wonders on your hips and neck) can be done seated.
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Inspires creativity
An important aspect of yoga is meditation. In one of our previous posts entitled ‘Release Anxiety', we wrote about how meditation has been scientifically proven to positively change your perspective on things. At work, it's not uncommon to feel like you're stuck. But sometimes, all you need is to refresh your outlook. A quick, mindful yoga session may help you achieve new ideas and gain insights that you may have missed out on before.
Improves focus
Hourly meetings, tight deadlines, and the general busyness of the office can create mental clutter and prevent you from concentrating on your tasks. Luckily, research conducted by the University of Illinois shows how practicing 20 minutes of yoga daily improves focus and overall brain function. By getting rid of distracting thoughts, you’ll be able to concentrate on tasks much better.
Overall, yoga can give your body and mind the welcome break it needs. From saving you some mental stress to keeping you physically well, a few minutes of daily yoga at work can only benefit you in the long run.
About the Author
Maisy Lopez is a yoga enthusiast after getting hooked on her very first hot yoga session. As a triathlete with an interest in sports, she credits her yoga practice with increased mental endurance and better focus. When she's not on the mat or in the gym, she's trying to find the best vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe.
