Exhale the world of conference calls and boardroom meetings while you take these brief Yoga breaks-
Asanas while sitting
Deep Belly Breathing: This three-part breath starts by breathing deeply while sending the breath down to the belly, then out to the rib cage and up to the collarbone. The exhale releases from top, middle to bottom.
Neck Rolls: These specially help in relieving stress. Seated tall, with your back away from the back of the chair, ground yourself with both feet to the floor. Move your neck in clock-wise and anti-clockwise direction, then do a chin-up and down.
Foot Stretch: Remain in the above body position and point, demi-point and flex your foot. Warm up your ankles by rotating the foot–making O’s with your toes–in both directions. Repeat other foot.
Side Twist: Maintain the straight body posture while sitting and twist your waist to the right keeping your left hand on your right knee and right hand behind the chair as far as possible to support. Repeat to the other side.
Asanas while standing
Mountain Pose: Stand feet hip-width apart. Bring your attention to your body from the ground up: feet, knees, hips–core, front and back–heart center, shoulders, arms, hands and top of the head. Keep your chin level as you lift the crown of your head high. Raise the arms out and up, turning palms up at shoulder high; frame your head at your ears. Hold for several breaths
Exhale your arms down to your sides, turning palms down at shoulder high to release.
Tree: This basic balance starts with the same foot position as Mountain pose. Shift your weight to one leg and find a focus point. Keep your gaze on that point and bring the opposite foot to the straight leg. Rest this foot with the heel above the ankle, or on the calf or up into the thigh–do not rest the foot by pressing on a joint. Bring your hands to your heart center; draw the arms down around and up overhead. Find your optimal hand position–your tree top–and hold
These easy asanas can be practiced while the call is on hold, when the computer is rebooting, when you are waiting for a fax or Xerox. They make your mind and body happy and help achieve higher efficiency, thereby making your boss happy too!
From: The Career Muse