| Are you experiencing stress at work? Do you work | | | | The practice of yoga, with its wider emphasis on |
| long demanding hours in an effort to try and keep up | | | | correct breathing, body awareness and alignment |
| with the constant demands on your time? How often | | | | techniques, positive thinking and relaxation techniques |
| do you arrive early at work to try and catch-up from | | | | offer you easy ways to manage stress and boost |
| the previous day's work, yet still struggle to find the | | | | your energy at work. |
| time to meet deadlines and finish reports on time? | | | | One: Sit comfortably on a chair, rest your hands on |
| Have you ever skipped lunch at work in an attempt | | | | your thighs, uncross your ankles, place your feet |
| to complete projects with over- tight deadlines? | | | | apart flat on the floor and close your eyes. Breathe |
| As a Yoga Teacher, I see many students suffer | | | | in slowly and deeply, through your nose, for a count |
| from the physical effects of stress, for example, high | | | | of three and slowly breathe out for a count of three. |
| blood pressure, tense shoulders, sore neck, low back | | | | As you breathe in and out be aware of the rise and |
| pain, and poor posture and migraine headaches. Many | | | | fall of your abdomen. Repeat 5 -7 times. Slowly open |
| students find relief from these stress-related aches | | | | your eyes and take time to re-engage with your day. |
| and pains when they practice yoga. | | | | Two: Stand or sit in a comfortable position. Breathe in |
| On an emotional level, constant exposure to stress | | | | through your nose and shrug your shoulders up to |
| at work affects your personal relationships. When | | | | your ears, slowly breathe out as you lower your |
| you come home from work, you may be | | | | shoulders. Repeat 5 - 7 times. |
| short-tempered and ratty with your partner or | | | | Three: Sitting in your chair, lower your head to your |
| children. You want to spend time listening to their day | | | | chest, breath in as you lift your head to look |
| yet you are pre-occupied with thoughts about | | | | forward, and then breathe out as you lower your |
| unfinished work matters and demands. If this | | | | head backwards. Repeat 3 - 7 times. |
| continues, you may start to drift apart from your | | | | Four: Keeping your head erect, turn your head to |
| partner and lose touch with what is going on in your | | | | look to the right, back to the centre, then all the |
| children's day to day life. All of this adds to your | | | | way to the left. Repeat 3-7 times each direction. |
| stress! | | | | Taking time to breathe slowly and deeply with each |
| Learning how to relax, let-go of stress and regain | | | | movement |
| your perspective is vital to help you manage your | | | | Five: Finally, link your fingers together and stretch |
| home-work life successfully. | | | | your arms high above your head. Breathe in and out |
| Many of the students I teach yoga say that | | | | slowly and deeply for 3 - 5 times. Lower arms. |
| practicing yoga has given them "inner strength", a | | | | Repeat 3 - 5 times. |
| "sense of balance" and "inner peace." This helps to | | | | Next time you feel stressed, demoralized and tired at |
| enhance the quality of their personal relationships and | | | | work, try these five easy stress relaxation |
| stay focused and productive at work. | | | | techniques to calm your mind and release tension |
| Five Easy Exercises You Can Do To Handle Stress | | | | from your body. You will feel energized, re-focused |
| And Boost Your Energy At Work | | | | and stress-free. |