Starting and running an online business can be stressful. It’s easy to be disillusioned by all hype and noise online. And while you’re trying to make sense of it all, you also need to take care of your health.
All those long hours you spend at your desk take a toll on your health. If you’re not careful, it can lead to several problems ranging from backache to carpal tunnel syndrome.
You can prevent such issues by trying some simple yoga poses right at your desk.
5 Yoga Poses Online Business Owners Should Try
Try these at-your-desk yoga poses for small business owners a few times every day.
Wrist and Finger Stretches
Typing for extended periods is linked to problems like wrist pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. To prevent that, try doing this stretch:
- Sitting in your chair, extend both arms in front of you.
- Extend your palms like you’re pushing an invisible wall.
- With your left hand, hold your right hand in an extended position and count 5 breaths
- Repeat with the other side.
- Now rotate your arms so your palms are facing downwards.
- With your left hand, pull your right hand in a downward stretch and hold for 5 breaths
- Repeat the same on the other side.
- After this, extend your hands overhead and rotate your wrists in either direction 5-10 times.
- Finally, extend your fingers and then close your fist. Do this about 5-10 times.
Desk Crescent Yoga
Stooping or sitting in awkward positions is bad for your spine. This pose will help lengthen your spine and improve mobility. Here’s how to do it:
- While sitting, gently lift your arms overhead.
- Connect both your palms together, like you’re praying.
- Gently lean on one side for 2-3 breaths, as far as you can.
- Repeat it on the other side.
Chair Pigeon Yoga
Long hours of sitting can weigh down on your hips and thighs, which can affect your balance. To prevent this, try this:
- Be seated with your legs apart and your feet flat on the ground.
- Place your right leg on your left knee at a 90-degree angle.
- Flex your left foot.
- Remain in an upright position and gently place your arms on your thighs.
- You should feel a slight stretch in your upper thigh area; hold the pose for 5-10 breaths before alternating with the other side.
Standing Seal Pose
Stretching can help relax all the muscles you had tightened up while sitting. The standing seal yoga pose is an excellent way to relax your muscles:
- Stand with your feet wide apart.
- Place your arms behind you and hold both your hands together.
- Squeeze your shoulders together.
- Take a deep breath and gently bend forward at the hip.
- Extending your arms forward.
- When you’re bent as far as you can, hold this pose for 5-8 breaths.
- Inhale a breath and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Gently get back into the upright position.
- Let go of your arms and relax your shoulders.
- Exhale to relax.
Sit and Stand Chair Pose
Sitting for a long time can weaken your hamstrings and glute muscles. This pose helps bring them back to life:
- Sit with your legs apart, feet flat on the floor.
- Extend your arms in front of you.
- Using your legs and while putting pressure on your glutes, rise to a standing position slowly.
- Once up, get back to a sitting position slowly, without using your hands for support.
- Repeat this 5-10 times.
Seated Twist
To strengthen your abdominal muscles, try this quick and easy pose:
- Place your hands at the back of your chair.
- With your legs rooted to the floor, twist your upper body to one side.
- Hold your breath to 5-6 breaths.
- Repeat the same on the other side.
- Do this 6-8 times.
FAQ
What are the Benefits of Chair Yoga?
Chair yoga is a fast and effective method to incorporate something healthy into your routine. Among other things, chair yoga can improve your flexibility, boost muscle strength and relax tightened muscles. It can also prevent issues like stress, pain, and bad posture.
Can You Lose Weight Doing Chair Yoga?
If you do it long enough, chair yoga can help you lose weight to a certain extent by activating muscles and burning a few calories. However, weight-loss yoga is a different animal and might give you better results than chair yoga.
What Stretches Can I Do While Sitting at My Desk?
You can practice several stretches that allow you to use almost all muscle groups in your body. You can do arm and wrist stretches, neck stretches, and even a full-body stretch as done in a standing seal pose.
Recommendations
Here are some online resources that provide stress relief and overall better mind and body health and might be particularly beneficial for small online business owners.
Headspace
Founded by Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk, Headspace is a meditation and mindfulness platform you can access through their website and mobile app. It provides guided meditation through animations, articles, and videos.
Pros
- You can take a free introductory course before subscribing
- They have different types of meditation catering to different needs and age groups. E.g., medication for stress, for work, for anxiety, and even meditation for kids
- Availability across multiple platforms, including mobile and desktop
- Olympians teach the workout classes
Cons
Monthly subscription is higher than other meditation apps
We Like
You can subscribe to different courses according to your needs.
Insight Timer
Rated as Time Magazine’s #1 meditation app, Insight Timer provides meditation guides, guided yoga videos, and exercises to improve sleep patterns and quality.
Pros
- They have a community discussion feature
- A wide variety of meditation types based on different needs and age groups
- Several unique categories such as meditation to improve relationships, to improve appetite, for self-love
Cons
Offline mode isn’t free
We Like
It’s nice how they offer 12,000+ meditations free of cost through a simply designed app.
Conclusion
We’re all for people making their online business a success. But nothing is worth it if it comes at the cost of your physical and mental health. Paying for your financial success with your health will always be a bad deal.
Use these at-your-desk yoga poses for small business owners as you build your online business. Follow them up with positive affirmations and good nutrition!
