Working for long hours can be deteriorating for the body and mind, especially with a shift to working from home amidst the pandemic. While we do miss our co-workers and the energy in our workplace, some of us enjoy working in our Pjs and not having to commute to work. 

The transition to a hybrid working space has made many of us invest in home desks and ergonomic chairs, while the rest continue to work from their dining table or the couch. Not having the right working conditions paired with a lack of movement can lead to more stress, stiff muscles and back pains. 

To encourage movement and restore balance, we have come up with 6 Yoga Poses that can be done in a limited space. 

1. Eye Rotations: Being exposed to maximum screen time on our laptops and phones lead to eye fatigue and dry eyes. Closing your eyes for 20 seconds every 20 minutes and rotating them, can help relieve some of the stress. Remember to blink often, this helps maintain the moisture barrier in your eyes. 
2. Wrist Stretches: Repetitive hand motions in some extreme cases cause carpal tunnel syndrome. If you are somebody who types a lot, you may want to consider doing exercises like wrist rotations. Simply extend your hands and rotate your wrists clockwise and then anti-clockwise. You can also extend your fingers and gently flex and release them. To release any shoulder tension, add a few shoulder rotations to the mix. 
   
3. Spinal Twists: This exercise promotes spine mobility and helps relieve lower back pain. Sit on a chair or your couch, elongate your spine and sit upright, this is your starting position. Next, extend your left hand in front of you at shoulder level. Place your right hand on your left knee and gently turn your torso along with your extended left hand to the left side, extending as far as you can. Keep your left hand extended outward. Return to the starting position and repeat the same on the other side. 
4. Neck Rotations: Start in a neutral position with your neck at the center, now turn to the right, come back to the center and gently turn to the left. Do a couple rounds of this exercise and follow it with neck rotations, simply drop your neck forward and slowly swing it back to the right, bring it back to the center and then to the left, forming a semi circle. Next, drop your neck back, looking up at the ceiling and continue the semi circle rotations in a slow controlled motion. 
   
5. Cat and Cow Pose: This is a great yoga pose for your lunch break and it will leave you feeling energized and rejuvenated. This pose is best performed on a yoga mat. Start with your hands and knees, aligning your wrists underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Inhale and arch your back, opening your chest and look upwards or forward. Exhale and round your back, try to touch your chin to your chest and look down. 5 rounds of this pose will help maintain a healthy back and neck.
6. Child’s Pose: This is a relaxation pose and should be performed at the end of your work session. Return to the mat in a kneeling position, spread your knees as wide as your mat, make sure that your big toes are touching each other. Sit down in the hollow space created between your heels. Raise your hands up to the roof, elongate your spine and gently move forward until your head is resting on the ground. You can keep your hands, palm side facing down on the mat. If resting your forehead on the floor is uncomfortable, you can add a block or pillow.

These quick and simple yoga poses are effective when practiced on a daily basis and reduce the effects of stress on the body and mind and facilitate better overall health.