Trade the 3 PM Sweets For 3 PM [Desk] Sweats

It’s midday, your inbox is overflowing, texts are dinging, and you have at least three voicemails to listen to. All you want to do is go hide in Central Park with a Levain cookie yet you can barely step out to grab water.

We’ve all been there. The stress of doing too many things at once can take its toll by 3 PM. Instead of reaching for some sweets (a classic Levain cookie being the exception of course), may we suggest a little desk yoga?

Desk yoga, even though work is still staring at you in the face, is more than just physically moving your body around. It can help refresh your brain, clear your mind, and reset yourself emotionally. The balance it brings to your mind can help with creativity, concentration, posture, and energy levels.

We sat down with yoga instructor Stepfanie Romine, E-RYT 200 and RYT 500, who shared these five desk yoga exercises that will help you get your second wind for the day:

1. Eagle Arms (to stretch between the shoulder blades)

   While seated, bend your arms to 90 degrees in front of you, then tuck your left arm under your right. Press the tops of your hands together if possible. Tuck your chin and breathe slowly as you let your shoulders relax forward. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute and switch sides. 

2. Seated Figure Four (to stretch the hips and glutes)

   Start by sitting on the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Cross your left leg over your right, resting the outside of your left ankle on your right thigh. Flex your left foot and lean forward until you feel a stretch. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute and switch sides. 

3. Seated Twist (to loosen up the spine)

   Start by sitting on the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your hips facing forward as you twist to the left. Hold onto the back of the chair or the arm of the chair if that’s within reach. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute and switch sides. 

4. Standing Downward Facing Dog (with your hands on the back of a chair or your desk for a whole body stretch)

   Stand behind your chair with your feet about as wide as your hips. Rest your hands on the top of the chair and step back until you feel a stretch. Keep a firm grip on the chair, a small bend in your knees and avoid locking your elbows. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute. 

5. Seated Cat-Cow (to stretch the shoulders, neck and back — and release tension)

   Start by sitting in a chair with your feet as wide as your hips. Place your hand on your knees or on your desk in front of you. Round forward, tucking your chin to your chest as you feel a stretch in your back. Then arch your back and look up to open your chest and stretch the front of your body. 

Romine also says that “if you have the space and flexibility, a low squat on the floor is my favorite for opening the hips and low back.”

During calls, she recommends adding neck and wrist stretches. Romine shared taking off your shoes during the day and giving your feet and toes space to move and stretch is also helpful.

Remember, just a few minutes doing these poses at your desk can have a profound impact on your afternoon. If you have more time in your day, check out PRIMARY coworking's fitness studio schedule for in-person and virtual classes. 

About Stepfanie: Stepfanie Romine, E-RYT 200 and RYT 500, has been teaching yoga since 2009 and is a copywriter and author based in Berlin. She uses these stretches to break up her own work sessions and aims to move every hour. She finds it helps my creativity and energy levels!