Image Source: The Healthy Living Lounge

In today’s fast life, we rarely find time for ourselves. We work hard all day long and end up with a stiff body, aching limbs and neck. While pain relief ointment  help, try finding a prevention instead of a cure. Here are a few simple yoga poses and excuses to perform them at your work.

1. Scale Pose

Sit at the edge of your chair

Press your hands down on either side of your hips and raise your legs and butt up off the seat.

Engage your deep abdominal muscles and keep the tops of your shoulders down.

Hold for around 5 breaths.

Lower and repeat 2 more times.

Excuse to perform this pose: When sneaking into the laptop of the person sitting in front of you. Well, you are just checking whether he/she is working or not.

2. Fist, Spread, Arms Overhead

Raise your arms out on your sides and close them into fists.

Inhale, and begin to lift your arms up slowly as you spread your fingers wide. Keep moving the arms up.

Make a fist and then spread your fingers, continue the open and close motion with your hands.

Once both arms reach the top, pause. Then make a fist, and spread the fingers as you lower both arms while exhaling.

Excuse to perform this pose: Telling your boss, ‘5 more minutes and I’ll send you the e-mail’

3. High Altar Pose

Inhale and lift your arms

Interlace your fingers and invert your palms.

Bend to your left.

Hold and count till 10.

Repeat on the other side.

Excuse to perform this pose: Just checking the presentation from all the angles.

4. Twist

Turn to your left.

Place your left hand on the back of the chair to deepen the twist.

Hold and count till 10.

Repeat on the other side.

Excuse to perform this pose: When asking something to your friend sitting behind you.

5. Hug And Twist

Cross your right arm over your left shoulder as though you were giving yourself a big hug.

Gently turn your abs from left to right counting till 5.

Hold.

Open both your arms out to the sides and inhale.

Repeat on the other side.

Excuse to perform this pose: Well, everybody deserves a hug for a great work.

6. Fold And Twist

Bend from your hips forward while exhaling.

Bring your left hand on the ground or rest it on your foot while inhaling and raise the right arm up.

Pull your chest toward your fingertips.

Repeat on the other side.

Excuse to perform this pose: Oops, my pen rolled below my desk, I am just trying to pick it up while waving to my friend.

7. Opposite Leg And Arm Lift

Inhale and first bend and lift your right knee, keeping your right foot flat.

At the same time, raise your left arm in front, palm facing up.

Exhale and lower your right leg and left arm.

Repeat on the other side.

Excuse to perform this pose: Can you give that file I asked for, earlier today? And while you do that, check out my foot where I am planning to get a tattoo.

8. Cow Face Arms

Bring your left arm behind your back and right arm behind your head.

Join the fingers if you can.

Hold and count till 10.

Repeat on the other side.

Excuse to perform this pose: I am just trying to show off how flexible I am! Are you this flexible? No? Start now, before it’s too late.

9. Seated Pigeon Twist
   
   Inhale and raise your right leg up, resting your ankle on the left thigh and keeping the right foot flat.

Bring the right knee up a little and twist your lower abs towards the right.

Hold and count till 5.

Repeat on the other side.

Excuse to perform this pose: Whenever you are talking to the person sitting next to you.

1. Ankle To Knee

Place your left foot on your right knee, keeping your left knee drop open.

Keep your back straight; lean forward to stretch deeper.

Hold and count till 10.

Repeat on the other side.

Excuse to perform this pose: And you guys continue talking for a few more minutes.

Now on, try finding an excuse to perform chair yoga, not to avoid an exercise. But if you need something to relieve your existing pain, a warm compress might be a good opion.