Post COVID, the general lifestyle across the world has changed. Now, offices and organisations also prefer to offer remote work as it not only benefits them but also takes care of employees’ work-life balance commitment. That’s why working from home has become quite common for people across countries. Moreover, why would anyone want to spend hours travelling when they can get the benefit of flexibility from remote work? But you should also be aware that remote work has several downsides.
When you are working remotely, sitting for long hours in front of a computer can cause body aches, stiffness, and poor posture. It can even lead to stress and eventually make it harder for you to focus.
But worry not! Here is the solution for you – Yoga!
Yes, with the help of yoga, you can easily manage your work-from-home wellness and deal with your problems. Yoga for remote workers is an ideal way not only to stay active but also to improve posture. There is no doubt that work-from-home culture has certainly ruined the mental and physical states of people to some extent.
By doing yoga regularly, you can keep your body moving, reduce discomfort, and feel more mentally balanced while working. If that’s what you are looking for, you have reached the right place!
In this blog, we would talk about the common challenges of working from home and how yoga can help you. You would also learn easy desk yoga exercises so that you can stay healthy and comfortable while working from home.
Challenges of Remote Work
Work-from-home jobs often sound good as you are saving a lot of time and have the flexibility to work at your ease. However, there are several challenges you may face while working from home. Let’s first identify these issues so we can provide you with the solutions to rectify them:
Sitting Too Long: When you are sitting for too long at your desk, you can easily experience muscle stiffness. You may also feel soreness in your back, neck, or shoulders as you are staying in one position for too long.
Back and Neck Pain: If you do not have a comfortable work-from-home setup and you work on a basic room table or the couch, then you can certainly get pain in your back, neck, and shoulders.
Mental Stress: Working from home is totally different from working from the office. When you are at the office, you have an interactive environment to indulge in. But, working from home can be lonely. This may lead to stress, anxiety, and burnout.
Less Physical Movement: At home, people don’t really move. Moreover, with work-from-jobs, you do not need to commute. This can certainly affect your overall fitness and energy levels.
Posture Problems: Sitting with poor posture for a long time can lead to issues with your spine.
How Yoga Can Help Remote Workers
Yoga for remote workers is nothing less than a boon. With the help of yoga asanas, pranayama, and meditation, one can easily deal with physical discomfort and mental stress. Here’s how yoga can help you while working from home:
- Yoga stretches can release tightness in areas like your neck, shoulders, and back and ease muscle tension.
- Many yoga poses strengthen your back and core muscles and improve your posture.
- As yoga improves your blood circulation, it helps you feel more alert and awake throughout the day.
- Yoga can also reduce your stress levels and calm you down by encouraging you to breathe deeply and relax.
- Regular yoga stretches help you stay flexible.
- Yoga practices like meditation can help clear your mind.
Desk Yoga Exercises for Remote Workers
Desk yoga exercises can easily be done while working from home. These asanas do not need much time or space and hence, can be practised on a daily basis. Here are the best desk yoga exercises for you:
Seated Cat-Cow Stretch
How to Do It:
- Sit tall in your chair with your feet flat on the floor
- Now, Inhale and arch your back while lifting your chest and looking up.
- Next, exhale, round your back, and tuck your chin toward your chest
- Repeat it for 5-10 times.
Benefits: This stretch helps release tension in your spine and improves your posture.
Seated Forward Fold
How to Do It:
- Sit at the edge of your chair with your feet hip-width apart.
- Inhale and stretch your spine tall
- Now, as you exhale, fold forward, reaching for your toes or the floor.
- Hold for a few breaths.
Benefits: This pose stretches your back and hamstrings and eventually reduces stiffness from sitting.
Neck Stretch
How to Do It:
- Sit comfortably with your feet grounded.
- Now, slowly tilt your head to the right side, bringing your ear toward your shoulder.
- Hold for a few breaths and then switch sides.
Benefits: It eases tension in your neck and shoulders.
Seated Spinal Twist
How to Do It:
- Sit tall with your feet on the ground.
- Now, place your right hand on the back of your chair and your left hand on your right thigh
- Next, inhale and lengthen your spine.
- Then exhale and twist to the right.
- Hold for a few breaths and then repeat on the other side.
Benefits: This pose stretches your spine and helps relieve back pain.
Wrist and Finger Stretches
How to Do It:
- Put your right arm in front of you with palm down.
- Use your left hand to gently pull back on your fingers.
- Hold for a few breaths and then switch sides.
Benefits: If you are involved in hours of typing, then this stretch would help relieve tension in your wrists and fingers.
How to Incorporate Yoga into Daily Routine?
You can also fit yoga into your daily routine so it becomes part of your lifestyle and you feel energetic, focused, and healthy always. Here are the ways to do it:
- Start your morning with 5-10 minutes of yoga and do simple stretches like Cat-Cow and neck stretches.
- Set a timer to remind yourself to take short yoga breaks during the day
- Use your lunch break to move a bit more and try standing poses like Mountain Pose.
- End your day with calming yoga stretches like Child’s Pose or deep breathing exercises.
Conclusion
This is how yoga for remote workers can provide a simple way to stay active and balanced. Keep in mind that yoga is perfect for reducing muscle tension, improving posture, and managing your stress more effectively on a regular basis. The desk yoga exercises mentioned above in the blog are quite easy to do and do not require much time or space.
So, wait no further and get on with it. Incorporate yoga asanas and pranayama techniques into your routine and maintain a healthier work-life balance like never before.
Yoga is a perfect solution for your work-from-home wellness. With its help, you can stay energised, focused, and balanced throughout the day.
