by Amelia Johnson: Life seems to get busy by the day. There’s hardly enough time to relax…
It all looks like we complete one task and move on to another one without even a short break. But still, some things must be done for the sake of our bodies, and such is yoga practice.
Are you held down, and cannot find convenient ways of fitting yoga practice in your busy life? Relax; as an experienced yoga expert, I have a solution for you.
Even if I am very busy, one thing is for sure – I still need to attain a better state of life, serenity, and productivity. These can improve my efficiency in completing my daily tasks. I rely on yoga to not only to achieve these benefits but also to ward off sleep deprivation at night.
How do I achieve all that? The trick here is simple. I trade off my favorite pastime for a bit of yoga practice. Better still, yoga practice is such a fantastic form of physical exercise as it lets me fit it in my tasks for spiritual peace, stress relief, and physical fitness. You can also do it. Here are my top secrets to maintain yoga practice even when you’re busy.
1. Trade-Off Your Regular Post-Work Stretch with Simple Yoga Poses
How refreshing is that post-work stretch? Well, you need to try a yoga pose, and you might not want to go back to your dull routine. Whether you work in the office all day long, or you are practicing for an upcoming field competition, there is a tendency to stretch your hamstrings, calves, or quads in the process.
I am really comfortable with the Forward Fold, Downward Facing Dog, Double Pigeon, Low Lunge, or Pigeon poses. What I especially love about these poses is that they are simple enough and can be practiced with ease within your busy schedule. Check them out on the following link on how to do them.
With yoga, you can be certain that you will have the best state of body, mind, and life!
2. Practice Restorative Yoga at the End of the Day
How do you spend your day after a busy schedule? Personally, I find my addiction to the TV in the evening quite unbeatable. So, here is what I do: I complete some yoga sets either on the couch or carpet as I get glued on the TV. While it felt awkward initially, today, I am so used to it that it has become a habit to the extent that even when I am relaxing, I opt for simple yoga poses.
A thirty-minute practice of restorative yoga will bring you untold peace and tranquility. You do not need special props for restorative yoga: blankets, straps, pillows, and supportive blocks are all it takes for a relaxed and comfortable posture. Even if the restorative yoga practice lasts as little as ten minutes, its effects will give you an improved state of life.
3. Find a Yoga Pal
Admit it; you have friends for different purposes – those who you go out with, those whose help you seek when having a career idea, even those who help you in parenting. Then, why not have a friend who directly influences your physical and mental alertness?
Finding and keeping a yoga pal is as necessary as any other friend in a different endeavor. Before getting a yoga pal, I can confess that I never took my yoga practice seriously. After I found one, I realized that a yoga pal will enhance your chances of fitness through yoga, advance a built-in cheerleader for you, and hold you accountable for your behavior in yoga practice.
Just get to familiarize yourself with the rest of the people in the yoga studio, because your yoga pal is just right there. In the end, you will experience better serenity and improved productivity.
4. Jump-start Your Day with Meditation
How does your morning look like? For me, the moment I get out of bed and before I get started with anything, I spend a few minutes to just breathe deeply, clear my mind, and get ready for the involving hassles ahead of me.
Do not confuse mediation with a quiet way of designing your day’s program, or even daydreaming. Meditation is a way of ensuring that your mind is rested, and a technique of achieving a higher consciousness level. Medication has similar mind calming effects like yoga. This is the reason you hear that yoga is meditation and vice versa.
The Harvard University Health Blog holds that meditation entails a focus on breathing, sitting comfortably, and drawing the attention of your mind to the present while keeping at bay the concerns of both the future and the past. Thus, meditation results in the relief of mental stress and ease from anxiety.
Pair up yoga with meditation for better nighttime sleep.
Is hydration any critical for yoga practice? Well, hydration is not just important, but a necessity for yoga. Yoga is all about flexibility, and a hydrated body is a flexible body. Therefore, ensure that your body is hydrated adequately for fruitful yoga practice.
You could also practice yoga for physical fitness. This is the reason you should not drink hydration beverages rich in calories. Adding some lemon to your drinking water will do the trick. With a fruit infuser water bottle, you can say goodbye to dehydration. Add your favorite fruit flavors to take your flavored water to a new level while enhancing your flexibility and tranquility.
What About Green Tea?
Forget the rumors you’ve heard about dehydration and green tea. Research by the UK Tea Industry and Tea Advisory Panel conducted a study which suggests that green tea and water have insignificant hydration features.
Break the monotony by drinking a cup (or two) of green tea, and enhance your body hydration.
It is not mandatory that your yoga practice lasts over an hour for it to have significant mind and body calming effects. Even quick poses lasting between five to ten minutes throughout the day can work just right. It is my conviction that even though you lead a busy life, you can benefit from yoga practice through the above tips.
