Top 5 Yoga Stretches You Can do at Your Desk

With work and life now somewhat combined, we have become one with our laptops and desks. We sit in front of our screens faced with more problems than just the confrontational email, and the dreaded zoom meeting that drags on! In today’s world we are all Desk Jockeys running a race against lower back pain, wrist strain, neck and shoulder pain, eye strain and tight hips.

In the current pandemic most of us are working from home. Not all of us have the right office supplies and facilities to work from home. We may all be good about taking a break, and utilising our allowed ‘personal exercise’ to stretch and reduce the strain on our bodies. However, what happens when the weather starts to dampen, and motivations dwindle? Or time management subsides, and we can’t fit in a simple cup of tea?

We have put together our 5 stretch Yoga plan…that you can do at your desk and in your makeshift office. With the stretches taking no more than 5 seconds each,  your stretching can be done whilst waiting for an email to send, or loading a web page…there are no excuses!

Stretch 1 – Seated Cat-Cow Stretch

1. Sit up straight in your chair with your legs hip-width apart and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Then place your hands on your knees
3. Inhale and slowly arch your back. At the same time roll your shoulders back and down.
4. As you exhale, slowly reverse the position. Rounding your spine, allowing your head to drop. So, your chin moves towards your chest.

*To get the most out of the exercise repeat steps c and d for another three breaths.

Stretch 2 – Wrist and Finger Stretches

1. Extend your arms to your sides
2. Draw 5-10 circles inwards and outwards through the wrists
3. Then quickly spread your fingers and close into a fist 5-10 times
4. Shake off any excess tension
5. Then keeping your arms straight in front of you, make sure your wrist is facing the sky and your fingers are towards the floor
6. Take your right hand and softly pull your fingers back towards you, whilst keeping your left arm straight
7. After 3 seconds swap to opposite arm and repeat

*To get the most out of the exercise repeat this exercise every 2 hours.

Stretch 3- Seated Crescent Moon Pose

1. Sit up straight in your chair with your legs hip-width apart and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Lift your arms straight up to the sky (over your head)
3. Then place your palms together to form a diamond
4. Lean to the left. Holding for three breaths
5. Then switch and lean to the right for three breaths

*To get the most out of the exercise repeat steps d and e for another three sets.

Stretch 4 – Seated Tadasana Pose

1. Sit up straight in your chair with your legs hip-width apart and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Lift your arms straight up to the sky (over your head)
3. Work to straighten your elbows as much as possible
4. Engage your abs to sit up taller
5. Move your chin till your spine fills in line
6. Then hold position for 3 breaths

*To get the most out of the exercise repeat this exercise every 2 hours.

Stretch 5 – Chair Pigeon Pose

1. Sit up straight in your chair with your legs hip-width apart
2. Place your right leg over your left on a 90-degree angle
3. Flex your right foot to remove any unnecessary pressure on the left knee
4. Remain sitting straight
5. With your hands slightly flatten your right leg till you feel a moderate stretch in the upper outer thigh
6. Then hold for 5 second
7. Repeat steps b to f on left side (opposite side)

*To get the most out of the exercise repeat this exercise every 2 hours.

Taking these small breaks may just save us in the long run and allow our bodies to have a physical and mental break and rest our eyes from the screens. We can better understand our body’s needs for stretching, repositioning and realigning our focuses on tasks at hand. Implementing these five stretches into our daily routine can help us one deep breath at a time.

Namaste and Happy Yoga Posing.