Wellbeing Habits for Desk Workers
Spending hours at the desk? We look at a different theme each day to explore ways that you can improve your wellbeing.
This course introduces 10 movement and mindfulness practice themes and invites you to consider whether you could create daily habits under each theme to improve your wellbeing at the desk.
Each day of the course covers a different theme and suggests simple yoga poses, movements and practices that could become habits.
Course design
This is a 10 day programme. You can either complete it over the course of two 5 day working weeks or you can pick one day and focus on the theme covered for as long as you like before moving onto another day at your own pace. Each day can be viewed on a standalone basis and you don’t have to complete all days if some of the themes don’t resonate with you.
Course introduction
The themes covered look at the potential risks of being seated and/or static for long periods of the working day, for example:
- Loss of strength in major muscle groups
- Loss of mobility in spine and joints
- Poor posture
- Discomfort, stiffness or aches
- Loss of connection with the feelings and needs of the body
We give you practice options under each theme that you can then select from and adapt to your own needs and circumstances.
If you have no time to exercise, integration of some of these suggestions into your working life could be ideal – many of the suggested practices can be done in under a minute but regular repetition can start to make a real difference to your physical state, as well as potentially reducing anxiety and lifting the mood.
The exercises are all selected so that you can try them without needing much space or any special equipment and while wearing your normal clothing – as long as it doesn’t restrict your movement.
What to expect
Each day we will cover a specific theme, look at short practices that can be done to support wellbeing under this theme, and consider ways that the practices could be turned into integrated daily habits.
General guidance
- Always be mindful of your own body and adapt any pose or exercise as needed to ensure your comfort and wellbeing
- Breathe softly and naturally and modify the pose or exercise as needed to ensure that your breathing remains smooth and unrestricted
- Focus on your breath and notice any physical sensations and changes in your mental state
- Try to use the Yoga Bites and Yoga Sprinkles as a way to completely switch off from your work or from other responsibilities – even if only for a minute
We recommend that you make a note for each theme of the practices that you tried, whether you enjoyed them, whether they felt beneficial for you and how you could incorporate them into your daily routines, with a view to building your own personal set of wellbeing habits.
Programme content
The content includes illustrations with supporting text and, on some days, a link to a video practice. The video recordings are by Simon Low, a highly experienced senior yoga teacher (see www.simonyoga.com for more info).
All of Simon’s videos are recorded in his retreat centre in Andalusia, and the stunning countryside backdrop combines perfectly with his relaxed delivery style to create a unique yoga experience. On days where a video is featured, we’ll let you know if you need any preparation before starting, such as removing shoes. The videos have been selected to be widely accessible, with plenty of options and alternatives offered when needed.
Simon may sometimes use yoga terms that you are not be familiar with but the meaning of these should be self evident from the demonstrations provided.
We’d love to hear how you get on!
Contact hello@yoponow.com with any thoughts, comments or questions.
