Yoga Poses That Can Be Done In Regular Office Chair

Those who are in office jobs have to spend long hours in office.  With today’s work pressure and lifestyle, the tension is mounting.  Long working hours, work pressure, deadlines to meet as also not so cohesive atmosphere in office (may or may not be) make you agitated, nervous, distressed and depressed.  Because of paucity of time, it may not be feasible to manage any kind of exercise i.e. swimming, jogging, treadmill etc.  So there is no scope for release of tension.  However, there are yoga poses which you can perform in office, sitting in your own chair which is very relaxing. You only have to make time for yourself in between your busy schedule.  Once you make this into a habit, you will find life less stressful, more tolerant and cheerful with better frame of mind and power of concentration.  In fact, the visible change in you may influence your colleagues to follow you, thus improving the general atmosphere of the office.

Be assured that many of the sitting yoga poses and movements will go unnoticed.  You will feel awkward to practice initially. You may not be able to practice at length.  So concentrate on those which need your immediate attention and doing the rest as and when feasible. You yourself will know which part of your body is strained and requires attention.

If your job requires you to sit in front of the computer all the time, then do some eye exercises to reduce the strain on the optical nerves:

• Sit upright in your chair.  Look in front and then blink 4-5 times.  Now close your eyes and lightly cover them with your palms.  Relax.  Then lightly massage the closed eyes with the warm palms.  Gently open the eyes.

• Roll your eyes in a circle.  With holding your head and back straight, first turn your eyes to the right, then up, then to the left and then downwards.  Do it 2-3 times and then repeat in the reverse order.

• Sit straight in chair. Close your eyes. Inhale and open the eyes as wide as possible.  Exhale and clench the eyelids together for a moment. Do it 2 to 3 times.

You can do the following exercise for your hands and fingers if there is too much of typing or writing work:

• Sit straight and erect in your chair with your feet flat on the ground.  Stretch both your hands in front and clench each of your palms into a fist. Open and close them 4 to 5 times and then rotate the closed fist five times outward and then five times inward.

The other poses which you can practice to keep you fit and supple are:

• With the same sitting position, place fingers of each of your hands on the respective right and left shoulders, elbows bent and rotate them outward and inward.

• Sit straight on your chair.  Inhale and turn your neck to the right, hold your breath as well as the position, exhaling come back to the starting position.   Do the same to the left. Do it 3 times.  Then bring both your hands behind your head and hold it tight with inter-laced fingers.  Try to push the head backward. Do the same by placing interlaced fingers on your forehead and trying to tilt your head backward.  Do it 3 times.

• Sit and grip the seat of your chair.  Raise one leg and stretch your big toe backward, putting pressure on your knee. Do it 4-5 times and then do it with the other leg. Sit again on your chair.  Raise one leg and rotate your big toe outward 5 times and then inward 5 times.  Repeat the same with the other leg.

• Sit erect with your hands clasped behind your head.  Pull your elbows as far back as possible and hold.

• Sit straight on your chair.  Pretend that a cord which is attached to your crown is pulling you up.  Inhale and stretch your back gently upward without moving from the chair.  Exhaling slowly relax back.

• Sit on your chair with palms on your thighs.  Inhale and exhale deeply with a rhythm with your eyes closed.

• Sit on your chair with feet flat on the ground and the hands resting on your thighs. Relax with your shoulder leaned back and eyes closed.  Breathe deeply, slowly and rhythmically for 3 -5 minutes.