3 Ways Yoga Can Save You from Stress Right Now

You’re at work and you just interacted with that infuriating co-worker who just dumped a mess on your desk.  You’re in a meeting and someone just insulted your work.  You’re sitting at your desk with a giant stress headache and you can’t focus.

How can yoga help you deal with these situations? 

First, just breathe. You were probably already breathing, but make it more deliberate. Try inhaling for four seconds and exhaling for four seconds. Pay attention to your breath. 

Second, soften your body with the breath. Where do you hold stress in your body? For me, it’s my neck and shoulders. Scan your body for tension. Are you tightening your body in some area? After you identify the area of tension, try to let go of those muscular contractions.  If you can’t do it, then try tightening them even more and then relax them again. Repeat until you can feel the tension release.  Try to synchronize the muscular relaxation with your exhale.

Third, be completely present in some way. Yoga has a concept of your drishti, which is usually described as your gaze, but it can also be described more broadly to be your attention or current focus. Bring that focus to a simple task. You could rub your finger and thumb together and pay attention to how that feels. You could start doodling on paper while you look at the doodles. 

Be patient with yourself as you practice these techniques. Remember that yoga is a practice and practice requires consistent effort over the long term to develop competency.