How much of your day is spent being “physically idle”? There are absolutely no qualms behind the amount of mental turmoil that the workforce of today are thrusted with. Most of you are probably devoting over 8 hours of your day at your workplace. But, is your body keeping pace with the rate at which you use your intellect? The constant twitching of your neurons might help build your career; but the motionless muscles of your body might turn out to be detrimental to those very brain cells itself!

Bending over your desks might leave you with a crouching shoulder or a hunched spine even before you enter old age and the easiest way to recover from the damage would be a regular practice of the ancestral asanas. Here is an amalgamation of the yogic power of health that you could radiate from holding your body in a pose for less than half an hour a day with the perk of not needing smell of sweat.

1. TADASNA – Mountain Pose

The mother of all asanas! A back and chest opening posture that lashes out at the lethargy within you.

• Stand straight with your hands hanging along your body and your feet, slightly apart.
• Breathe in as you raise your heels and shift the body weight to your toes.
• Stretch your shoulder, arms and chest towards the sky and hold the pose for a moment to feel the vibration along your body.
• Exhale and relax

2. ADHO MUKHS SVANASANA – Downward Facing Dog Pose

Gets the blood gushing to the brain cells waiving of the stresses you had gathered up in the day.

• Get down on the floor on your limbs and form a table pose
• Straighten your back and lift your hips up in the air to form an inverted V.
• Your hands must be in line with shoulders and your feet with the hips
• Tighten your firm and hold the pose for a while
• Exhale and relax

3. MATSYASANA – Fish Pose

Fatigues, anxiety, backaches and every other pain you’ve incurred from bending over the desk will be swept into the waters with this fish pose.

• Lie on the floor with your hands alongside your body
• Cross your legs until your feet are one over the other at the middle of your body
• Press your thighs and knees against the floor
• Inhale as you lift your chest up.
• Breathe. And, relax.

4. BADDHA KONASANA – Bound Angle Pose

Ease the pain on your hips after the long hours of work at your desk.

• Sit straight and stretch your legs out
• Bend your knees and pull your heel forward. Bring your feet close to one another and to your pelvis while still keeping their outer side on the floor

5. BALASANA – Child’s Pose

Relieves the tension in your chest, shoulders and the lower back while massaging the muscles of your internal organs!

• Kneel on the floor and sit on your knees at hips width apart
• Bend forward and lay your upper body over your thighs
• Stretch your arms forward, placing them in front of you
• Hold, work your pelvic region and relax.

6. BHUJANGASANA – Cobra Pose

Strengthen your spine while torso gets a good stretch.

• Lay down flat on your stomach, keeping your hands alongside and your toes touching one another
• With your palms pressed against the floor, move your hands forward until they reach your shoulder
• Shift your weight to the palm as you inhale and raise your head and torso depicting a cobra
• Your hips, thighs and feet are still pressed against the floor.
• Hold the pose, breathe and relax.

7. PARIVRTTA SUKHASANA – Seated Twist

Detox and destress your body with this spinal and abdominal twist.

• Sit down on the floor with an erect spine and legs crossed while your hands rest over your knee
• Inhale and bring your right palm on your left knee, while your left palm is taken behind you and pressed to the floor.
• Exhale while you twist your head towards your left
• Hold and repeat on the other side.

8. GOMUKHASANA – Cow Face Pose

Flex your muscles to ease the tension around the spine and shoulders.

• Sit down with your legs outstretched
• Bend your left leg and keep it under your right butt
• Fold your right leg over your left thigh such that the knees are on over the other
• Fold your left arm behind your back
• Move your right arm over the right shoulder and reach out to the hand folded behind the back
• Hold, keeping your spine erect and bent back slightly while your chest is expanded

9. TRIKONASANA – Triangle Pose

Boost your metabolism and stabilize your mental and physical self

• Stand straight with your feet wide apart from your hips
• Keep the right foot pointing outward while the left foot is kept at an acute angle
• Bend your body to the right, lifting your left hand up while your right hand touches the ground. (Your arms must form a straight line)
• Stabilize your bosy and repeat on the other side

10. UTTANASANA – Standing Forward Fold

Calm your mind by bending your head down to the earth.

• Stand straight with your hands resting along your body
• Bend yourself forward and rest your chest on your feet with your hands and head freely falling downward