International Day of Yoga 2023: Unleashing the power of yoga to balance work life and wellness

Modern work environments are endowed with high levels of demand. Long work hours, stiff competition and a tech-enabled lifestyle can create a whirlpool of challenges. The major one being chronic stress which is known to have detrimental effects on physical and mental wellness. This high-stress work culture is further fuelled by tight deadlines, crippling targets, and a desire to stand out.

Therefore, the question arises: How to balance work-life with wellness? Experts say that the answer lies in establishing a regular yoga practice. To find out how it can foster wellness and tackle stress, Midday.com spoke to yoga experts and practitioners.

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Yoga is like the internal mirror for the mind, says Saurabh Bothra, a certified yoga instructor and co-founder of Habuild. He shares, "As a yoga teacher, I believe the growing stress and hypertension among urban dwellers necessitates balancing work and well-being. When we indulge in yoga every day, it empowers us to stay away from stimulation and be more focused on both, work and wellness."

Yoga asanas to promote productivity and wellness

Bothra lists down some of the effective yogic asanas to combat stress, improve concentration and develop a positive mindset:

Asanas to reduce stress

Child's Pose (Balasana)
Balasna is a gentle and restorative yoga posture where you kneel on the floor, sit back on your heels, and lower your torso forward. Your forehead rests on the mat, while your chest rests on or between your thighs. Arms can be extended forward or placed alongside the body. This pose promotes relaxation, stress relief, and gentle stretching of the back, hips, and thighs. It provides a calming and grounding effect, allowing you to recharge and find a sense of tranquility in your practice or daily life.

Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Savasana is a relaxing yoga posture where you lie flat on your back with your legs extended and arms resting by your sides. With closed eyes and a focus on deep, conscious breathing, this pose promotes deep relaxation, stress reduction, and rejuvenation of the mind and body. It is a vital component of yoga practice for integrating the benefits of the preceding poses and finding a state of complete stillness and inner peace.

Developing positive thoughts

Lotus Pose (Padmasana)
Padmasana, is a classic seated yoga posture where you cross your legs with each foot resting on the opposite thigh, creating a stable and grounded foundation. It is known for its ability to enhance posture, promote flexibility in the hips and knees, and create a calm and focused state of mind, making it ideal for meditation and pranayama (breathing exercises).

Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)
Dhanurasana, is a dynamic backbend yoga pose where you lie on your belly, bend your knees, reach back, and grab your ankles, then lift your chest and thighs off the ground. It stretches the entire front body, strengthens the back muscles, improves posture, and stimulates the digestive system. Bow Pose also opens the shoulders and chest, promoting an energizing and uplifting effect on the body and mind.

Sharpening focus

Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)
Vrikshasana, is a standing yoga posture where you stand tall, place one foot on the opposite inner thigh or calf, and balance while bringing your hands to your heart centre. It improves balance, stability, and concentration, while also strengthening the legs and core. Tree Pose symbolizes grounding, rootedness, and finding stability amidst challenges, offering a sense of calm and connection to nature.

Eagle Pose (Garudasana)
Garudasana, is a standing yoga posture where you wrap one leg around the other, cross your arms at the elbows, and bring the palms together in front of your face. It improves balance, flexibility, and focus while stretching the shoulders, upper back, and hips. Eagle Pose symbolizes strength, grace, and concentration, encouraging a sense of harmony and groundedness within the body and mind.

Gitanjali Singh, Head of Strategy and Sales, Visionet BFSI resonates that achieving a healthy work-life balance has become more important now than ever. It is crucial for enhancing well-being and productivity, and reducing chronic illness risk. However, with the fast-paced life that the city has to offer, people often find it difficult to disconnect from work.

Attaining balance with focus

Slowing down and building focus for a yoga practice can be challenging. Nikhil Kapur, a devout yogi and co-founder of Atmantan Wellness Centre lists down the following 4 practical strategies that can help with mental wellness:

Practice Mindfulness
Incorporate mindfulness and meditation practices into your daily routine. These techniques can help you cultivate awareness, reduce stress, and enhance focus. Find a quiet space in the office, even if it's just for a few minutes each day, to engage in mindfulness exercises, synchronised breathing or a guided meditation to calm your mind and increase your ability to concentrate.

Prioritise self-care
Make self-care a priority in your routine. Engage in activities that promote relaxation and rejuvenation. This can include laughter therapy, exercise, hobbies, spending time in nature, taking baths, practising yoga, or enjoying a hobby. Find activities that bring you joy and help you unwind, allowing you to recharge and refocus almost immediately.

Set realistic goals
Overwhelming workloads can hinder focus and create a sense of constant urgency. Set realistic goals each day and prioritise smartly. Your tasks based on importance and deadlines are all yours, but by planning and breaking down larger tasks into smaller, manageable chunks, you can ease some of the pressure on yourself while remaining focused and motivated.

Practice single-tasking
In a world of multitasking, practicing single-tasking can improve focus and productivity. Rather than trying to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously and trying to do everything, choose to dedicate your attention to one task at a time. Set aside specific time blocks for focused work, minimising distractions and interruptions.

Singh recommends setting work-life boundaries, deep breathing and disconnecting from technology from time to time to slow down from a fast-paced hustle. Engaging in hobbies at least weekly is vital for a healthier work-life balance and improved focus in urban environments.

Addressing stress at the workplace with yoga

Sitting for long hours or doing repetitive tasks can make our bodies ache. Yoga can help ease that discomfort, says Singh. It's not just about the physical benefits, yoga also calms the mind, helps us focus better and reduces stress and anxiety. It also acts as a catalyst to bring people together. When we practice yoga with our co-worker's, we create a sense of community. It's a chance to connect on a deeper level, away from work-related conversations. It's similar to having a support system within the workplace.

Most importantly, it teaches us how to manage stress and regulate our emotions. Deep breathing and mindfulness exercises help cope with workplace pressures better. It's like having your own toolkit for staying calm and positive even when things get tough at work. Incorporating yoga in office environments can address stress and lack of support by fostering team bonding and equipping employees with tools for stress management and emotional regulation.

Yoga to combat lethargy

Yoga at the workplace can help combat lethargy by including gentle movements, stretches, and deep breathing exercises. "It helps counteract the sedentary nature of desk jobs, release muscle tension, and revitalize the body and mind,' Singh shares. Yoga breaks or sessions during the workday can rejuvenate employees, improve their focus and promote a more energetic and productive work environment, combating lethargy effectively.

Overall, regular yoga practice aids in increasing energy levels, blood circulation, reduced fatigue, enhanced focus and productivity and postural improvement which can help in beating lethargy at the workplace, shares Bothra.

By incorporating yoga into the work routine, employees can combat the sedentary nature of office work, improve upon their sitting postures and stimulate their bodies and minds, leading to increased alertness and productivity. The practice of yoga also promotes mental clarity, reduces fatigue and boosts vitality, making it a highly effective tool for combating lethargy in the workplace, adds Kapur.

Practicing yoga helps with self-reflection

Yoga facilitates self-reflection by creating a space for introspection and self-awareness. "Through the practice of mindfulness and connecting with the body, one can observe their thoughts, emotions and patterns of behaviour more clearly," Singh said. This self-reflection helps cultivate a deeper understanding of oneself, leading to personal growth and improved decision-making which in turn reflects on our mental well-being.

Bothra shares that Pranayama or the practice of regulating one's breath can create hyper-awareness of oneself. In Sanskrit, "prana" means life energy and "yama" stands for control. Performing pranayama daily can help in enhancing self-esteem, confidence and empowerment. Practitioners witness this progress and accomplishment as their practice deepens, and a boost in self-acceptance and a positive self-image.

Installing yoga practice within the workplace

Singh opines that regularising something as involved as this can be difficult at the onset, so it's important to approach it as a team-building activity before anything else. Kapur shares a comprehensive guide to establishing yoga practice in the office environment.

Workplaces can incorporate dedicated yoga sessions within the office by following these steps:

1. Assess the interest and feasibility by surveying employees to gauge their willingness to participate and preferred timing.

2. Make sure to communicate the benefits and the initiative in detail to all the employees, for receptivity encourages participation.

3. Set a day and time every week that people can put aside for this practice as a group.

4. Allocate a suitable space within the office that can accommodate yoga sessions comfortably. Consider rearranging furniture or using multipurpose rooms if needed. One can explore options to bring in a certified yoga instructor who can lead the sessions or plan guided meditations in-house for the team.

5. As the session progresses, make sure to establish a regular schedule for these yoga sessions, ensuring they are accessible to all employees and provide necessary equipment like yoga mats etc.

Can yoga enhance immunity?

Yoga being a way of life contributes to building immunity, shares Kapur. Certain Yoga poses are known to stimulate and massage the internal organs, supporting their optimal functioning. These postures enhance blood circulation, lymphatic flow and the oxygenation of tissues, and support a healthy hormonal balance, all of which are vital for a robust immune system.

Additionally, yoga poses that involve twists and gentle inversions help detoxify the body, flushing out toxins and improving the body's natural ability to detox. Regular practice of yoga improves sleep and crucially reduces stress levels; stress is what weakens the immune system amongst other things. By managing stress through yoga, individuals can learn to support their overall well-being and strengthen their immune response. The truth of the matter is that yogic postures promote a healthy body, a balanced immune system and improved resistance to illnesses.

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