10 Benefits of Practicing Yoga During Office Hours

People work better when they feel good about themselves both physically and mentally. Combine that with feeling appreciated by the management. You have a happy hardworking team who are ready to face whatever challenges the day might bring. This converts into how the business performs. Introducing Yoga into your workplace has many potential benefits to your team as well as them as individuals.

Over time it has become more and more that you find yoga creeping into the daily office routine. Some of the most well know and successful companies have had a corporate wellness program for some time. They are now reaping the benefits of staff productivity and general wellbeing.

Here are 10 for you to think about:

Yoga: let’s start with the physical benefits:

1. Flexibility

This is more important than you think. Sitting at a desk all day can cause your muscles and joint to seize. When this happens, it takes the slightest movement, twist or bend, to pull something. Resulting in discomfort, which, in turn, leads to loss of concentration. See where I’m going with this.

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2. Build strength with yoga

Sitting straight can burn anywhere between 60 and 130 calories per hour. You got it you are using muscles which can be tiring if your body is not strong enough. By increasing your strength you can sit at your desk without muscles aching. With the combination of stretching, holding positions and repetition, more oxygen is absorbed by your muscles increase strength.

3. Yoga helps to increase stamina

Like any part of your body, your brain benefits from training. The more you train the more stamina it gets, like your muscles. People with stamina tend to be more persistent. They will complete tasks without stress getting the better of them. There are many different types of yoga classes. Many of them require flow from one position to another and are repeated several times during the session. Building both physical and mental stamina. It’s a win-win for both individuals and companies alike.

4. An improved sense of balance

When you are sitting at your desk you are effectively balancing. By always balancing in the same positions you are not building the surrounding muscles. Yoga focuses on building your entire body strength which in turn helps you to balance. People who struggle to balance find coordination difficult. Which can slip into their everyday lives.

5. Work on your body alignment

Working in an office often requires long stretches of time sitting at a desk. Before we know it our shoulders are slouched forwards. Our necks are in an unnatural position while we stare endlessly at our computer screen. This has a negative impact on our posture. Often causing pain, strains and stiffness in parts of our bodies we didn’t even realize we were using. Yoga makes us more aware of our body and how we are using it which may impact the way in which we sit. The stretches and slow movements may also relieve any pain that has already be caused.

The mental benefits of yoga include:

1. Yoga is great at reducing stress

Stress is something most of us are familiar with and have experienced at some point during our lives. Whether it’s caused inside or outside of the workplace it can create mental clutter. This can impact your productivity, concentration and decision-making. During a yoga class, you are instructed to concentrate on your breathing while moving from one position to another. Meaning that everything else is pushed out, allowing you to declutter and regroup. 30 minutes of physical exercise every day greatly increases blood circulation. Giving you more energy to deal with different situations that may arise.

2. We would all love better sleeping cycles

It’s been suggested you sleep better after exercise. Charlene Gamaldo, M.D. says, “We have solid evidence that exercise does, in fact, help you fall asleep more quickly and improves sleep quality.” Yoga has several different styles which could be beneficial depending on the time of day and the desired outcome.

3. A self-confidence boost is always welcome

We as a population tend to compare ourselves to one and other on a daily basis. Yoga pushes you to focus on yourself and your own achievements. Understanding and listening to how your body works. You should only focus on self-growth based on your performance and not others. Regularly practicing, focusing on yourself and appreciating what you can do rather than what you can’t. This will better equip you for outside of the yoga class. Confidence is directly aligned with inner peace and happiness.

4. Yoga helps to relax the mind

To have a relaxed mind one needs to be able to deal with stress, preferably eradicate it. Yoga affects blood circulation and how much oxygen is absorbed into the bloodstream. Therefore, improves brain function. Having a sharp and focused mind is always a benefit when busy at work.

5. Get to know your body

Body awareness is how your body moves. Information is sent to your brain by your muscles and joints which influences your movements. This is important to help up relate to objects and people. For instance, how close we should walk by something or how far we should stand from another person while having a conversation. People who have difficulties with this can appear clumsy, sometimes have trouble socially. Yoga helps people to focus on their own bodies. Making sure movements are controlled and precise.

Yoga is good for business!

As an employer, it seems like the benefits outweigh any negatives. Building a healthy, happy workforce is key to a successful and profitable business. Staff are shown to be more productive, motivated and create a less stressful working environment. It doesn’t have to be that you get someone into the office for a structured class. Encouraging employees to regularly take 10 to practice some simple yoga moves could be beneficial.

Last updated: July 5, 2023 by The Backify Team
All photos taken from free stock