Willow Vine Counselling

From the comfort of your desk (or favourite work-from-home spot!)

In our new reality of “WFH” (work-from-home), many of us have been spending a great deal of time hunched over a laptop. Work minutes quickly turn to hours, and by the end of the day tension is inevitable. Sometimes, stress in the body seems invisible. Even when you can’t feel knots in your back or aches in your hips, tension can present itself in different ways, which can lead to an assortment of complications down the road (enter migraines, musculoskeletal back pain, and muscle atrophy to name a few). 

Yoga for tension relief while at your desk

Instead of approaching work tension from a reactive standpoint (aka reversing damage that has already been done), try taking a proactive measure by adding a few simple stretches to your daily routine. Not only will you prevent future muscle tension from building up, but you will move stagnant energy through the body, allowing a space of greater focus and concentration. Plus! Breaking up your day with simple stretches will tune you into your body and bring awareness to important aspects such as posture and alignment while working. The best part? These stretches can be done from just about anywhere: from a cubicle to your home office (and yes, even from your bed!). 

So without further ado, here is your five step stress-relieving guide to prevent tension and bring ease to the mind and body: 

1. Seated Cat / Cow

The beloved cat and cow stretching sequence can easily be converted to a chair exercise. Many styles of yoga include these postures in the beginning of the class as a way to warm up the spine in preparation for greater movement. 

The benefits? 

Increases strength and flexibility in the neck and spine, relieves stress by moving in synchronization with the breath, reduces tension by allowing energy to flow up and down the spine, and massages and stimulates abdominal glands and organs. 

How to perform? 

Begin by taking a comfortable seat with your feet on the floor, or with a bolster under your feet for comfort
Inhale to cow; arch your back, lift your head, and chest, and allow your belly to extend outward
Exhale to cat; round your back, tuck your head and neck to your chest, and suck your belly into your spine
Repeat for five rounds of breath, allowing your breath to lead you through each cow and cat 

2. Eagle Arms

The arms element from a traditional standing eagle pose can be brought to the office space without even leaving your chair! 

The benefits?

Opens the shoulders, creates space in between the shoulder blades, relieves trapped tension in the upper back, and increases circulation to joints. 

How to perform? 

-Begin in a chair, or seated on the floor with a straight spine
-Straighten your arms in front of you 
-Bring the right arm underneath the left, raise the forearms perpendicular to the floor, and bring the backs of the hands to touch (twist the hands so the palms touch if possible, or grab opposite shoulders)
-Inhale lift the arms in twisted formation, exhale bow forward; repeat for five rounds of breath, allowing your breath to lead you through the sequence and releasing on final exhale 
-Bring the left arm underneath the right, raise the forearms perpendicular to the floor, and bring the backs of the hands to touch (twist the hands so the palms touch if possible)
-Inhale lift the arms in twisted formation, exhale bow forward; repeat for five rounds of breath, allowing your breath to lead you through the sequence and releasing on final exhale 

3. Cactus Arms

During your work day, it’s important to focus on breath to calm the mind and bring you into a state of heightened concentration. Opening up the chest will allow for deeper breathing to occur, sending oxygen straight to the brain for optimal performance. The simplest way to open the chest? Cactus arms!

The benefits? 

Relieves tension in the neck and shoulders, opens the heart, lungs, and diaphragm, and strengthens muscles in the upper back. 

How to perform? 

-Begin in a chair, or seated on the floor with a straight spine
-Inhale the arms straight to the ceiling for tadasana (mountain pose)
-Exhale, bend the elbows and arch the spine; extend the neck and look up towards the sky
-Repeat for 5 rounds of breath, allowing your breath to lead you through the sequence 

4. Seated Pigeon 

Now that we’ve moved tension through the upper body, let’s focus on another stress-holding area: the hips! Sitting for prolonged periods of time can leave the hips feeling tight and achy, and lead to additional issues in the lower back and knees. Seated pigeon pose can be performed on a chair, and relieve tightness in just a few minutes.

The benefits?

Opens the hip joint, lengthens the hip flexor, and stretches the psoas muscle (aka the body’s emotion bag) allowing bottled up stress and anxiety in the hips to dissipate. 

How to perform? 

-Begin seated on the edge of a chair, with your feet directly below your knees
-Hug your right knee into your chest, then rest the right ankle over the left thigh
-Inhale, straighten your spine; exhale, bend forward over your bent leg 
-Hug your left knee into your chest, then rest the left ankle over the right thigh
-Inhale, straighten your spine; exhale, bend forward over your bent leg 
-Hold each side for 30 seconds, breathing deep into the stretch 

5. Restorative Pose (aka breaktime)

Oftentimes, a busy work day seemingly does not leave much time for a break. However, productivity is best fueled with periods of rest and relaxation. Many of us identify breaks as scrolling through our phones, grabbing a snack, or exercising. However, the best breaks involve complete physical and mental relaxation. 

 The benefits? 

Letting your body move from a state of fight and flight to rest and digest, increased blood flow to the brain, and deeper connection with the breath.

How to perform? 

-Begin seated on the edge of a chair, with your feet directly below your knees
-Cross your arms on your desk as a pillow, and lay you head on the backs of your hands
-Scan your body from head to two, consciously relaxing each area 
-Focus on your breath; deepen your inhales and exhales at first, then allow your breath to return to a natural state 
-Set a timer for 3-5 minutes and continue to focus on your breathing

Practicing these simple stretches everyday can do wonders for your body, mind, and productivity levels. By actively working to prevent stress and tension from building in the muscles, you are able to perform at a more efficient level, and invite a sense of ease and flow into your daily grind!

info@willowvinecounsellingandyogatherapy.ca

(613) 690 - 4075