As a working mum, you have a multitude of tasks and activities to complete. In any one day, you probably play the role of mother, work colleague, sister, daughter, friend, partner, neighbour and financial advisor as you try and balance your family budget.
Given the variety of commitments you face it is vital you make time each day to rest, nurture and revitalise your energy. Have you noticed that when you come home from work you feel drained and tired yet still have to change gears to be present and real for your family?
Wouldn’t it be nice to come home, be able to relax and take the time to be present and enjoy being with your family?
Does the thought of coming home and putting your feet up feel like a fantasy? Something that you know you are entitled to, yet feel too rushed, stressed and busy to take five minutes rest?
When your days are full and energy low, practicing yoga or going to a yoga class may feel like the last thing you want to do. It is so much easier just to crash out on the sofa and watch reality TV or even better -go to bed….
But once you get into the habit of practicing yoga you are hooked and your body will demand that you Do Something.
If you are new to yoga, here are five easy yoga exercises that you can easily do when you get home from work.
If your time is short then just choose one exercise to do and really focus on doing it to the best of your ability. Otherwise try all five poses and dedicate the time to you. Whichever path you choose, you will feel happy and boost your energy.
1. Deep Breathing Exercise: Rest your palms on your thighs. Close your eyes, relax your face and relax your shoulders. Breathe slowly in for a count of four. Exhale slowly for a count of four. Repeat this breathing practice 4-7 times and then return to normal breathing.
2. Seated Forward Bend: Sitting comfortably. Rest your hands on your thighs. Exhale. Slowly fold forward from your hips. Allow your hands to drop towards the floor and hang loosely. When you have stretched as far forward as you comfortably can, gently lower your head towards the floor and allow your back to round. Hold this position for 4- 7 deep breaths. Inhale as you lift your head a little and slowly come back up.
3. The Mountain Pose/Tadasana
a) Stand with your feet together. If it is comfortable for you, have the big toes, inner ankles and inner heels touching. Spread the weight evenly over the feet.
b) Tighten your kneecaps, pull up the thigh muscles and your lower abdomen.
c) Breathe and feel your spine lengthening, let your tailbone sink and lift in the front of the body. Feel your chest opening. Allow your arms to hang down the sides of the body with the palms facing the legs, fingers gently extending towards the floor.
d) Relax your shoulders and allow your shoulder blades to slide down. Relax your face, lengthen the back of your neck and look straight ahead.
e) Stay steady in this pose for 3 – 10 rounds of deep abdominal breathing.
4. Laying on your back, raise both hands. Rotate your wrist 5 – 7 times in each direction then shake your hands 5 – 7 times. Lie still and absorb the energy.
5. Lie on your back. Hug both knees to your chest. Curl your body up into a small ball. Rock gently from side to side 5 – 7 times. Lower your head to the bed, still holding your knees to your chest and take 3 – 5 deep breathes in and out. Gently move your knees from side to side, giving a gentle wringing action to the back muscles. Lower your feet back to the bed and slowly straighten your legs.
Stress Relief Yoga Tips For Women
Any change, whether good or bad can cause stress in people. A pregnant woman may feel stress because of the changes in her body. An employee who was suddenly laid off will feel stress because of the unforeseen change in her situation. People feel stress each day. And if stress is left unmanaged, it can cause physical and mental problems.
Women, young and old, single or married, employed or not, also feel stress. The good thing is that there are so many different stress relief techniques that people can practice. And if you make sure that you live a stress-free life, you will be healthier and happier.
Yoga is fast becoming a famous exercise among women nowadays. Yoga exercises are all about balance and harmony. These teach you how to balance your body with your mind and your actions with your thoughts. With yoga, you will feel harmonious and balanced which gives no place for stress to exist. This is why stress relief yoga for women is highly recommended.
Want to start doing stress relief yoga? Here are 3 important tips for stress relief yoga for women.
1. Assess your fitness level. When starting out, you must know how fit you are. If you have medical problems, ask your doctor if you can enrol in a yoga class. Your doctor will be the best person who can assess your overall health. If the doctor thinks that with your medical condition, you cannot take up yoga, do not worry because there are still other stress relief techniques that you can use.
2. Start from the basics. There are different types of yoga classes for different people or situations. For example, there is yoga for seniors, prenatal yoga, adaptive yoga, and many more. When looking for a class, ask for the yoga classes that are for stress relief. If you are just beginning with stress relief yoga for women, start from the easiest level and work your way up. You do not want to feel more stressed out if you enrol in a class that requires complex poses and exercises.
3. If you start feeling pain, stop. It is advised never to start doing stress relief yoga for women on your own. Enrol in a yoga class or hire a private yoga instructor. There are correct ways to do the different techniques. And in order not to harm your body, you must be supervised especially if you are just starting out. Once you know the basics, then you can start doing the exercises on your own. And remember, if you start feeling pain while doing yoga, you must stop. Never push your bodies over the limit.
