10 ways to integrate yoga into day-to-day life

10 ways to integrate yoga into day-to-day life 

We all seem to be busy these days. Being stressed at the hectic pace of today’s life seems to be the new fashion… we may hark back fondly to the laid back hippy attitude of the 1960s but how many of us actually manage that chilled attitude to life cultivated by the freedom seeking, peace loving generation. Those same people may be our parents yet somehow they have instilled in us a need to be driven, to move forward in life. To prepare for the future by working, rather than relaxing into the present moment.

I am suggesting an acceptance of this tendency toward busyness in the hope that by integrating these 10 small activities into every day you will also cultivate the inner quiet promoted by any regular yoga practice. As I tell my individual students when I design their practice…better 5-10 minutes a few times a week than setting yourself the expectation of an hours practice that never happens. Plus I also know that once on our mat we will often indulge in much longer than originally planned!! Not that yoga teachers are sneaky…we just understand and work with the additive qualities of yoga. However to get that yogic addiction you need to be doing yoga. So enough distraction, now lets start to discuss the ways we can fit yoga around our day without changing more than our attitude to what is yoga!

1. Wake up 5 minutes early and lie in bed. Not allowing your self to fall back to sleep but enjoying a few minutes quiet. Maybe making a cup of tea or coffee and taking it back to bed. Not really waking up totally but staying in that chilled lazy attitude. No TV or radio, Chill out music is fine but not radio chatter. If you live with someone try not to chat.. Maybe explain that doing this will improve your mood (and even your sex drive)… promoting positive results to your nearest and dearest will encourage their support rather than disruption of your practice. Just lie there….or sit up against pillows if you are comfortable to do so. Maybe sit on a mediation cushion on the floor if that is what feels right. The most important thing is you maintain that half asleep chilled feeling. Then just sit (or lie), eyes closed for at least 3 minutes….. so one song if you have music playing.  Allow yourself to daydream, to think but not to worry. Maybe keep a notepad by your bed in case you want to make notes when you finish.
2. When you shower or wash or clean your teeth treat your body with kindness. Don’t judge yourself for your wobbly bits or look for unevenness of skin or wrinkles. Instead notice something positive…just one thing. Can’t be too hard…and find something every day for a week. So you can repeat yourself every week if need be….for example be grateful for the length of your hair on Monday, the health of your back on Tuesday, your stretch marks reminding you of your healthy children on Wednesday etc. Things that maybe you normally gloss over in your mind in the search for something you need to change about yourself. This is a conscious act of appreciation and kindness. Loving kindness towards yourself. Just for the length of tie it takes to shower…maybe allow your hands to indulge in the feel of soapsuds popping on your fingers, or the smoothness of conditioner sliding through your hair. Just notice, smile and send a little kindness and appreciation towards yourself. If that is hard to do imagine you were looking at yourself from the outside and had to be kind to you, as you needed some friendly support. Imagine how you would feel inside as you care for someone else then turn that feeling inward towards yourself.
3. When you clean your teeth note which leg you take your weight on and make a mental note to try to take your weight on the opposite leg whenever you are standing through the day. This will strengthen muscles in a different way, promote brain synapses to work differently and generally gently challenge our body and mind to get out of its comfort zone.
4. When the kettle boils stand on one leg…maybe balance in tree posture or just put one heel against the opposite ankle and focus on firming the outer hip of the standing leg so you don’t collapse to the side.  Swop sides while your tea or coffee brews.
5. In the car tilt your rear view mirror a little higher to encourage you to sit up straight rather than slouch.Maybe sit on a cushion in the car. Raising your hips slightly can encourage your core muscles to work more effectively and support your back. Toning your stomach while you drive can be an extra bonus!
6. If the traffic lights go red, smile as you now have time for some pranayama. Maybe a few rounds of kapalabhati to lighten your mind and further tone your lower abdominals or a few breaths in Ujjain to focus the mind.
7. When you arrive at work take a minute to sit in your car and breathe Even if you are running late then another minute shouldn’t worsen matters but arriving calm and serene will always help. So take 10 breaths with Ujjain balancing the length if the inhale and exhale. Really focusing on the smooth subtle quality of the breath and allowing it to involve your pelvic floor with each exhale as you slightly engage your mula bandha (root lock). Let your inhale gently meander back in without rush or strain, allowing your Ujjain to be a support t both your breath and your focus.
8. Throughout the day each time you meet a new situation, a meeting, coffee break or just getting up for the toilet consciously relax shoulders and firm your lower abdomen back to your spine to support the length of your waist to prevent slouching. This will improve alertness, digestion, posture, and muscle tone and relieve aches from sitting at a computer or driving. If able to sit crossing the arms then change the arm position to behind the back. Encouraging the shoulders to open and relax and the heart to lift as the chest relaxes. Encouraging a deeper breath as well as a more approachable friendly demeanor.
9. Smile. Not just in your mouth but also at the corners of your eyes, across your collarbone…letting the ends of your collarbone lengthen and lift upward rather than turning down, and across your lower abdomen and your hipbones. Feeling these four smiles…your eyes, your lips, your chest and your hips mirror each other and bring a smiley feeling to your heart.
10. Check in with yourself. Every so often, maybe when you hear the radio starts the traffic report just check in with yourself. Note how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally. Are you tired or hungry or bored or alert? Note how you feel and choose to be proactive about it. Maybe change your choice of lunch if you always feel drained or bloated afterward; maybe ask for new projects if you are continually bored. Maybe if your wrists or your shoulders ache investigate a new way of sitting or working at your desk. Notice and rather than judge or moan about s=things, do something about them. Self-study is often the first stage in positive change.

It is this inner smile, focus and positive change that yoga brings you.  The feeling of physical lightness and mental calmness that we can maintain through the day with just a few small changes to our lives. There are more and more ways we can integrate yoga into our day. Warrior 3 or dancer posture at the photocopier or spontaneous handstands at bus stops but I have tried to stay with subtle and quiet adjustments to your everyday activities. See how many you can integrate into your next week and see how you feel.