Your body was not designed for a desk
If you spend most of your day sitting at a computer, your body is probably telling you about it. Tight shoulders, a sore lower back, a neck that crunches when you turn it. These are not signs of ageing. They are signs of sitting.
The good news is that five minutes of simple movement can make a noticeable difference. You do not need a mat, special clothes, or a private room. You can do all of these at your desk, in your office chair.
1. Seated cat-cow (1 minute)
Sit towards the front of your chair with both feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on your knees.
On an inhale, arch your back and lift your chest towards the ceiling. Let your shoulders roll back and your belly move forward.
On an exhale, round your spine, tuck your chin towards your chest, and draw your belly in. Imagine someone is pulling the middle of your back towards the back of the chair.
Repeat slowly for about a minute, moving with your breath. This wakes up the entire spine and counteracts the static posture of sitting.
2. Neck releases (1 minute)
Drop your right ear towards your right shoulder. Do not force it — just let the weight of your head create the stretch. Hold for three breaths.
Slowly roll your chin down towards your chest and over to the left side, dropping your left ear towards your left shoulder. Hold for three breaths.
Then gently turn your head to look over your right shoulder. Hold. Turn to look over your left shoulder. Hold. You will probably hear some interesting sounds. That is normal.
3. Seated twist (1 minute)
Sit tall in your chair. Place your right hand on the outside of your left knee and your left hand on the armrest or back of the chair behind you.
On an inhale, lengthen your spine upward. On an exhale, gently twist to the left, starting from your belly and working up through your ribs and shoulders. Keep both hips facing forward.
Hold for four or five breaths, then repeat on the other side. Twists are brilliant for relieving lower back tension.
4. Wrist and finger stretches (1 minute)
If you type all day, your wrists and forearms take a beating. Extend your right arm in front of you with your palm facing up. Use your left hand to gently pull your fingers back towards you. Hold for three breaths.
Then turn your palm to face down and gently press your fingers towards the floor. Hold for three breaths. Repeat on the left hand.
Finish by making fists and slowly opening your hands wide, spreading your fingers as far apart as they will go. Do this five times. Your hands will feel noticeably lighter.
5. Breath reset (1 minute)
Close your eyes if you are comfortable doing so. Place both feet flat on the floor and rest your hands on your thighs.
Breathe in for a count of four. Hold for a count of four. Breathe out for a count of six. The longer exhale activates your parasympathetic nervous system — the part that tells your body it is safe to relax.
Repeat four or five times. When you open your eyes, you will feel noticeably calmer and more focused.
Make it a habit
Set a reminder for mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Five minutes, twice a day, is enough to make a real difference to how your body feels at the end of the working week. Your shoulders will thank you.
And if you want to take it further, our Tuesday evening vinyasa class is full of desk workers undoing the damage. You would be in good company.