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In today’s post we look at four ways yoga helps you to reduce stress and gain a few minutes of peace and quiet, especially at this time of year when office parties, work deadlines and Christmas shopping has to be slotted into your already crammed schedule.
How Do You Fit It All In?
Life as a busy working woman, especially at this time of the year with Christmas Office Parties and school nativity plays coming up, stress takes on a whole new meaning.
Christmas is supposed to be fun, but when you are a working mum the pace of life is unbearable.
You have bosses on your case demanding end-of year projects are completed and to top it all, school nativity plays to fit in, which for some reason always seems to be in the middle of the afternoon; this meant, when I worked in Probation I had to sneak out of work before lunch to get a seat in the front row.
Add to this mixture, extra food shopping, getting the Christmas decorations out of the loft, buying presents, visiting family plus your children being home, your stress levels are already at boiling point- and you still have to fit in your everyday activities and commitments.
To manage all you do, it is vital you take time out to care for yourself, to rest and rejuvenate.
4 Ways Yoga Helps You Stay Stress-free At Christmas
1. Yoga exercises help you learn how to relax your body
When you feel tense and stressed, your body reacts. Have you noticed just how tired you feel from juggling work and home commitments-let alone all the other things you do?
When you constantly push your body and don’t take time to put your feet up and rest properly, your back, neck and shoulders start to ache. Instead of thinking about what you are supposed to be doing, you focus on your aches and pains, which often make you feel worse.
Yoga postures, for example, the cobra and spinal seated twists all help to relieve stiffness and tension in your back, which makes it easier for you to carry on and be present at work and at home.
2. Yoga teaches you breathing exercises which you can use to calm your mind and refocus your energy
In the manic rush of work and home it is easy to feel overwhelmed and panic that you may forget to do something. Taking a few minutes to breathe whenever you feel the pressures mounting is an ideal way to refocus and quiet your mind. When your mind is calm, you relax and have a sense that “yes, its Ok, it will all get done” which takes off the anxieties and guilt you feel from not completing tasks “on time.”
3. Yoga poses makes you more aware of your posture
When you are tired and exhausted your stomach sags, you tend to round your shoulders and slouch down in your chair. All of this has the effect of reducing the flow of energy through your body. This makes you look older, weary and tired.
When you practice yoga you become more conscious of the way your body moves. You become more aware of how you are sitting and standing. As we say in yoga you become “body aware” you may even catch yourself noticing how other people are standing and using their bodies.
This insight and sense of “correct body alignment” enables you to keep your body balanced and aligned which maintains the smooth flow of energy through your body. For example, when answering the phone, instead of just grabbing your handset and clutching the phone to your ear, which puts a lot of pressure on your neck and shoulders, take the time to readjust your posture, sit up, align your feet and keep your spine erect, that way you help to reduce the wear and tear and stress on your body.
4. Yoga and meditation practices help you learn how to control your thoughts
When you feel frazzled, fed-up and frustrated with juggling and wondering what to do next, it is easy to feel dis-hearted and look on the bleak side of life. You forget that Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy, celebration and fun
Take a few minutes to sit down and meditate will help to settle your thoughts, and improve your concentration and decision making skills, which makes it easier for you to be clear headed and less distracted during your day.
So, to help you have a stress-free Christmas, remember to breathe, to check in with how you are suing your body and to meditate.
And if you enjoyed this post, I’d love to hear your comments and your tips for a stress-free Christmas. Write your thoughts in the comment box below.
Take care and thanks
It doesn’t take much to start yoga. If you are interested in finding out more about yoga and what to look for when choosing a new class, check out my free ebook “Yoga For Beginners –All The Facts And Advise You Need To Choose Your First Yoga Class”, when you subscribe to my weekly YogaInspiresYou enewsletter
Image, with thanks, via Flipsy
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