How Do I Fit Yoga Into My Busy Life?
This is a common question when I give talks about yoga and I love it. It is the perfect question to talk about yoga as a lifestyle practice, not a practice that requires a mat, a zafu, fancy clothes, a fit body, or anything but the ability to breathe, ponder, and care. We all can fit yoga into our daily life once we understand that yoga has the potential to be inherent in everything we do. Of course, ideally we also make time for yoga in the more conventional sense, with some time on our mat or our meditation cushion. There is plenty of guidance out there for formal practice (including on our own YogaX YouTube channel where you can access asana, pranayama, and meditation sessions). Here, I want to offer you a few simple, yet beautiful ways to integrate yoga into every moment of every day – no mat, no special time, no fancy stuff. Once you get the hang of this, you will realize there are endless ways to live your yoga. Find what works for you. 😊
Set an intention in the morning
Before you get out of bed when you first wake up in the morning, take a moment to feel yourself into the present moment. Notice consciously how your body is feeling, how your breath is moving, what your energy is like, what feelings may be present, and what is on your mind. Once you have arrived in all of these manifestations of your Self as it shows up right here, right now ask for an intention to emerge in your awareness. Don’t overthink this. Simply see if something arises that can guide your day ahead. It may be a simple word (e.g., patience, gratitude, open-heartedness) or phrase (e.g., be kind to someone; try to respond not react; embrace a loved one) that you can carry out of bed and into your day. This simple word or phrase can give you a focus and intention that you can come back to again and again any time you feel lost, confused, stressed, angry, challenged, emotional – whatever may emerge for you. If you would like, upon getting out of bed, you could write this intention on a piece of paper that you carry with you or post where you can see it throughout the day.
Be mindfully present for a routine morning activity
As you go about your morning, choose a typical activity that is part of your morning routine (maybe switching it up day to day) to which to give your full mindful attention. Maybe you choose brushing your teeth, maybe brewing your coffee, maybe waking up your child/spouse/partner/roommate, maybe drinking your tea or washing your tea cup, or maybe even driving to work. Give that activity your undivided attention and concentration. Notice what it feels like to touch the toothbrush to each tooth, feel the bubbles made by the toothpaste, taste the minty freshness, notice the tickle of the bristles on your gums or tongue. Take in the sensations with an open heart and open mind – don’t have any expectations ahead of time about what this experience will be like. Just be present for how this mindfulness practice unfolds. Stay non-judgmental, open, and curious. If your mind wanders to random thoughts, outside noises, or other distractions, simply bring it back with gratitude that you noticed having lost your mindful focus. The practice is done when you are finished with the activity. Of course you can repeat this anytime and anywhere.
Move your body and enliven your breath
Take random brief moments throughout the day to notice your body and give it movement to counteract having been confined to a desk, stuck at a work station, or tethered to a single place for a while. Building in movement can be super simple: take the stairs instead of the elevator; stand in tree pose while combing your hair; do some breath of fire while waiting for the bus; or park a bit farther away from where you are going to take a bit of a walk. Perhaps you get up from your desk chair at regular intervals and either take a half sun salute or walk down the hall to get a drink of water or say hello to someone. If nothing else, wiggle your toes while you are typing away at your desk or sit on a yoga ball. Swing your hips, roll your shoulders, take a vigorous breath, or bounce up and down while you are standing at your post. You can expand this practice by being mindful of your body and your breath as you move and as you don’t. Invite yourself to develop more somatic consciousness throughout the day so that you begin to notice the need to move and reenergize – then respond to this need with compassion and caring for yourself by providing for it however briefly.
Rest and recover even for a moment
Take random brief moments throughout the day to notice the degree of fatigue, arousal, and energy in your body, breath, and mind. If you notice that you have been on hyperdrive, give yourself what you might need most: a moment of rest and recovery. If you engage in physical labor, let yourself take rest breaks maybe simply breathing gently for a moment to refresh the energy in your body. If you have to talk a lot, fit in a period of silence. If you are rushing around, take a moment to feel your sense of agitation and breathe gently, intentionally, and lovingly – even if just for 10-20 seconds. Let yourself recover from stressful moments by acknowledging your distress, breathing into it, resting for a moment – rejuvenating yourself enough to calm your nervous system. You can expand this practice by being mindful of your energy throughout the day. Invite yourself to develop more somatic and vital consciousness so that you begin to notice the need to take care of yourself, to slow down, to tune in. Choose to be there for yourself with lovingkindness and with gratitude for your inherent resilience.
Reduce unnecessary stimulation
Integrate the interior work of yoga into your day by increasing your awareness of how you deal with the constant inputs that arrive through your sense doors. Become aware of the constant flow of stimulation – noises, sounds, sights, lights, smalls, tastes, textures, requests, demands, distractions, discomfort in your body, dysregulation in your breath, reactivity in your mind … and so much more. Notice how each input adds to the work your nervous system has to do to keep you balanced, functioning, present, and resilient. Then become more discerning about any sensory inputs that you can control. Reduce what is unnecessary: declutter your environment, turn off the background music, shut down your media, take a break from your usual pace, sit quietly for a moment, walk outside into a natural environment for a respite, close your door, do less. Tune into yourself in a new way: notice stimulation from one sense at a time – really allowing yourself to savor what you are experiencing; stop multitasking and commit yourself fully to one thing at time.
Learn, unlearn, and relearn
As you attune yourself to your body, breath, and senses in a more discerning way, you might become more aware of your habitual reactions to stimulation and your reactive ways of making predictions based on what you see, hear, smell, or taste. You learn that you have habits, patterns, or ruts that trap you into a particular reaction, attitude, or belief. Through this awareness, you can let yourself begin to realize that you have choices in how you respond to what happens around you. You can unlearn some of your reactive thoughts and actions, you can take a break and ponder. You begin to notice where and when you can gain some control and discernment over your response. When you slow down your habitual way of reacting, you relearn something new. You might choose a different behavior, you might change your interpretation of what is going on, you might double-check your beliefs, you might even discover a new attitude. This relearning will help you find equanimity; it will allow you the pleasure of responding more calmly. In each moment when you discern what you might want to do habitually and reactively and you don’t, you discover your deeper wisdom. In that moment, your life can change – your relationships with yourself and others become easier.
Give someone your full attention
Our days are often so rushed and pressed that we don’t really attend to anything fully, especially other people. This leads to disconnection and isolation. Make it a point each to attend to another human being fully – be really present with them and notice everything you can in your interaction with them and in their expressions. See if you can sense what they need or want; see if you can truly pay attention without any temptation to interpret or infer what might be going on. Give them the gift of not looking at your incoming text message, the gift of not worrying about the phone that is ringing somewhere, the gift of not dividing your attention between them and some other things that may be begging for attention. You could make it a habit that when a person comes to you for advice or a question, you turn to them fully. You let go of your preoccupation with what else there might be and attend to them with an open heart and mind. Once they have received your deep and kindly caring attention, when they move on, you can return to whatever else there is in your world that needs you next.
Commit a random act of kindness – and don’t expect applause!
We let so many opportunities slip by every day to find joy by offering a small moment of love, compassion, beauty, or joy to another being. Make it a practice to notice these opportunities and do at least one kindness for someone each day. You will be amazed how many people’s or animal’s lives you can light up with joy or relief with this simple practice. Maybe you engage the checker at the grocery store in a simple moment of human interaction, asking them how they are or thanking them for their service. Maybe you notice someone looking lost and you ask them if you can be helpful. Maybe you bring a cup of tea to someone at work whose job it is do things for others. Maybe you choose to smile at a stranger or wave someone into traffic. Maybe you let someone else have the closest parking spot in the lot. Maybe you say hello to someone who looks lost or lonely. Clearly, the options are endless and really do not take much time at all. Whatever you do, do it with an open heart and do not expect anything (no even a thank-you) in return.
Close the day with gratitude
Right before or maybe right after you go to bed, ready to go to sleep, take a few moments to reflect back on your day. Notice things or events that you encountered during the day for which you are grateful. Don’t overthink this. It can be small stuff: maybe you were grateful for the lovely smell of the orange you ate after lunch; maybe you gratefully relive the moment when someone waved you into the traffic lane you were aiming for; maybe you received a small compliment or acknowledgment; better yet, maybe you had opportunity to do a small kindness for someone else. If nothing else, perhaps you can simply be grateful that you woke up in the morning or that you can now go to sleep. If you would like, try to make a short written or mental list of 5-6 things you appreciated about your day.
I wish you joy with these small ways to live your yoga. I would love to hear how implementing some of these ideas has changed your day. And I would be grateful to hear your own creative ways in which you take your yoga off the mat.
As, always with gratitude that all of us get to share the amazing and wondrous practice that is yoga –
Chris
About the Author:
Christiane Brems, PhD, ABPP, E-RYT500, C-IAYT, is the Director of YogaX, a clinical psychologist, registered yoga teacher, certified yoga therapist, and certified Buteyko (Breathing) Teacher. She has practiced yoga for over 40 years. You can read more about her on the YogaX Team page.