The positive effects of doing yoga throughout your day are priceless. It’s an old remedy for a new epidemic that can’t be taken lightly. Feel less pain in places like your neck, back, and wrists, and feel more energized and productive all day long with the help of office yoga.

Do the 4 yoga moves listed below once a day to help ease tension and fatigue, and give you the stamina you need to charge through your day.

These moves are taken from my online training program Get Stretchy at Work, complete with daily online yoga videos to help your body heal itself naturally on a daily basis so you can thrive at work and feel awesome. Learn more about the program by clicking here.

These Get Stretchy at Work yoga moves below were also featured on KTLA 5’s Morning News Show on March 9, 2017. Watch the replay by clicking here.

1. The Tech Neck Stretch

To reduce migraines, relieve tension, and improve focus

Directions

1. Sitting on the edge of your seat with the feet planted on the ground, hold onto the side of your chair with the left hand while dropping your head to the right. You can place the right hand on the right knee.
2. Hold for 5 breaths.
3. Now draw the gaze down so that you’re looking towards your shoulder.
4. Hold for 5 breaths.
5. Return to neutral and repeat other side.

Tips

• Pause the video if you’d like to hold the stretch even longer, up to 2 minutes.
• Maintain a good posture throughout the stretch.
• Close your eyes to help bring your attention inwards towards your breath.
• Once comfortable with this stretch, try standing to challenge your core and posture muscles.

2. The Texting Repair

TLC for your fingers, and give them the stamina they need to continue texting and typing all day

Have you ever had cramping fingers from texting and swiping? This exercise is amazing for your tired and overused fingers. It will increase the circulation throughout your hand and fingers, stretch your wrists, and strengthen your forearms. 

Directions

1. There are 4 movements to this stretch:
   1. Stretch the arms out wide with the hands flexed and fingers facing up.
   2. Pull just the fingertips down, squeezing them into the hand, but keeping the rest of the palm up.
   3. Then pull fingers into a fist.
   4. Curl the fists down towards your forearms, engaging your forearms and stretching the tops of the wrists.
2. Then reverse this sequence, one by one.
3. Repeat the entire movement 10 times.
4. Shake out your hands, wrists, and arms to finish.

Tips

• Sit tall and proud with core engaged.
• If shoulders bother you, lower the arms in front of you or down a bit.
• To intensify this exercise, try this standing with feet shoulder width apart, and practice good posture as you move through these stretches.

Do 10-15 reps.

3. Office Warrior

To reverse slouching, stretch your chest, and open your hips. Will also ground your mind recharge your body.

Directions

1. Move your chair away from your desk so that you have room to extend your arms and legs.
2. From sitting, face to your left, keeping your left foot planted and stretch right leg back into Warrior 1, with right foot angled at your 2 o’clock.
3. Reach the right arm forward and up, pulling the belly in and softening shoulders.
4. Continue reaching the arm up and back behind you as you open your heart up to the sky, expanding across the collarbone. Arch back, and reach all of your energy through your arm.
5. Hold for 3 breaths, or 5 if you have time.
6. Then, lift up and over to bend sideways to the left, over the back of the chair.
7. Return back to center, and repeat other side.

Tips

• When opening back or side, lift up through the torso as much as possible – avoiding any dumping in the spine or side body.
• Make sure the back leg is straight throughout the entire exercise.
• Feet are planted into the ground.

4. The Side Bend SIGH

To strengthen and tone your core, increase your metabolism, stretch your side body, lengthen your spine, and reduce pain in your back 

Directions

1. Stand up, and turn so you are standing perpendicular to your desk, so your desk is to the right of you. Bring the feet together, and place your right hand on your desk.
2. Sweep the left arm out and up, pull the lower belly in, and then begin to lift up and bend over to your desk.
3. Most importantly, keep abs in, soften shoulders down. Lengthen the spine and torso as you stretch – DO NOT collapse into the side of the body.
4. Hold here for 5 breaths.
5. Once you feel stable here, then you can lift your right arm up, so that your arms are reaching overhead and are parallel to one another.
6. Hold for 5 breaths
7. Then circle the body forward so you are in a slight forward fold to help release your lower back. Stay here for 5-10 breaths.
8. Repeat other side

Tips

• Pull the ribs down towards your hips, and your belly button up and in.
• Firm the thighs and lift the knee caps
• Soften the shoulders down the back, and extend the neck
• There should be space between your ears and upper arms
• Externally rotate your shoulders when overhead

Looking for more?

Enroll in the online program Get Stretchy at Work, and gain access to daily office yoga videos to help get rid of back, neck and wrist pain, while also increasing your productivity and energy naturally – all at the comfort of your desk!

Enroll Now