It’s me, Rebecca — full-time Operations Manager and part-time yoga teacher. If you’re a client of Campbell Teague, you’ve probably gotten an email from me about your bill (sorry!). And if you’re one of my yoga students, you probably had no idea I actually have a full-time job. I usually try to keep the two very separate, but as any yoga practitioner knows, the more time you spend on the mat, the harder it becomes to keep yoga from flowing into every aspect of your life (pun intended).
For those who don’t practice yoga, consider this blog your quick-start guide to staying zen in a corporate world…
- BREATHE! I’ve often seen lawyers so overwhelmed by the pressure of their cases that their faces flush and their breath quickens. Fortunately, there are several simple, science-backed breathing techniques that can help slow the heart rate and reduce blood pressure—bringing the body back into balance.
- 4-7-8 Breath: inhale for four seconds, hold at the top of your inhale for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds, and repeat three more times. Anytime your exhales are longer than your inhales, it gives a calming effect.
- Hummingbird Breath (a personal favorite): you may want to do this in a private space, like a bathroom or personal office, as it can look a little silly. Use your index fingers to close your tragus, which is the piece of cartilage that covers your ear canal, then close your eyes. With your mouth close, inhale through your nose. On the exhale, make a loud humming sound with your throat. Repeat multiple times. The sensory deprivation mixed with the humming vibrations are great for the nervous system.
- Box Breathing: inhale for a count of four, hold for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, hold the bottom of the exhale for a count of four, and then repeat.
- STRIKE A POSE! During a busy, stressful workday, our bodies tend to kick into sympathetic mode, or ‘fight or flight’. There are certain yoga postures that can shift you back down into parasympathetic mode, or ‘rest and digest’.
- Childs Pose: a classic. From sitting on your knees, bring your big toes together to touch behind you and let your knees spread wide. Then, press your hips over your heels as you walk your finger tips in front of you to lengthen your spine and rest your forehead on the ground. The gentle pressure of the forehead pressing into the earth can trigger a calming response in the body.
- Legs up the wall: just like it sounds; lay your spine on the earth and rest your legs up a wall. This pose signals safety and stillness to the body, which lowers your heart rate. It also can help drain your lymphatic system – a win win!
- Reclined Butterfly: from laying down, bring the soles of your feet together. This is just like the butterfly stretch from middle school gym class, just on your back! Our hips store a lot of tension and emotion so by allowing them to gently open, you are allowing yourself to release anything that has built up over the day.
- MEDITATE! While the first two points focus on calming the body, this section is all about soothing the mind. Meditation often carries a stigma as something that requires sitting cross-legged for long periods. Fortunately, that’s not the reality. Meditation can be simple, accessible, and fit seamlessly into a busy day.
- One-Minute Awareness Break: set a timer for one minute and find a comfortable seat, then close your eyes. During the minute, notice everything around you. What do you smell? What do you hear? How do your hands feel resting on your knees? Is your jaw tight? Can you feel the sensation of your breath? Bringing your awareness to physical things around you is a great way to ground during a busy day.
- Mala Beads: this technique requires a bit of prep. Mala is a kind of necklace used for meditation that has 108 beads and a tassel on the end. You’ve probably seen a yoga teacher wearing one without knowing what it was! To meditate using mala beads, pick a prayer, mantra, or saying. Then, follow along the beads with your thumb, starting at the tassel, saying your phrase over each bead. You should end back at the tassel, meaning you said your phrase 108 times. The repetition takes your mind off of anything else that is begging for your attention, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
Hopefully, you’re beginning to see that you don’t have to be a full-time yogi to feel the benefits. These simple practices can help you reconnect with your breath, body, and mind, creating a sense of calm that lasts long after your workday ends.
