Most of us could benefit from doing more yoga, but if you struggle to find the time, desk yoga could be the solution.
While chair yoga (a more accessible, inclusive form of the practice) and stretching at your desk aren't new concepts, desk yoga is currently proving more beneficial than ever, both for body and mind, for the swathes of people around the world who have been working from home.
Chair yoga is usually pitched to seniors, but London-based yoga teacher and founder of The Yeh Yoga Co. Emily Harding believes it's something we should all be doing, and reframing the practice as "desk yoga" has seen increasing interest from frazzled employees.
Harding has been offering desk yoga for two years, and originally came up with the idea through working with big corporations whose employees felt like they weren't able to fit classic yoga into their day. With desk yoga, you don't need to go anywhere, don't need to change, and don't need much time.
It helps with posture, relieves tension in the neck and shoulders, reduces eye strain which in turn can ease headaches, and helps people feel connected to themselves, calmer, and less anxious by focusing on the breath, according to Harding.
"Yoga isn't just about practicing on a mat in your leggings," she told Insider, adding that she wants to combat the stereotype that "yoga is only for thin, flexible, white women."
"Yoga has been around for thousands of years. It's about freeing yourself from the suffering of your mind which doesn't just pop up when you step on four corners of the mat, it's in your whole life," Harding said.
Harding talked Insider through five easy poses (that only require pulling your chair back from your desk) and how to perform them correctly, whatever your ability, from your home office.