Practical tips to set you up for success when working (from home or at an office)

1. Put your laptop at eye level! Those cute coffee table books just earned a practical purpose. Stack those babies 3 or 4 high on your work space and place your laptop on top. If you really want to set your body up for success check out this little tool that also changes the angle of your keyboard for optimal wrist comfort as you WERK WERK WERK WERKK.
2. Place your feet on the ground! *Bonus effect* it will physically keep you grounded.
3. Stand up!! At most, get cozy at a standing desk (or counter top with a stack of books). If you work better seated, set a timer to get up once an hour and dance, walk, forward fold, or salute the sun.

Shoulder-to-neck release

Starting in easy pose with legs crossed, bring your left arm behind the back towards the outside of your right hip. Then drop your right ear to your left shoulder. Feel the stretch in the side of your neck breaking up all the fascia down to your shoulder. Repeat on the other side.

Elbow circles

Begin by placing your fingers on your collarbone. Bring your elbows forward until they touch in front of your chest while keeping your fingers on your collarbone. Start moving the elbows in a backwards motion eventually bringing wrists together at the back of the neck while making circles with the elbows. After 5-10x, switch directions coming forward with the elbows. This will strengthen and activate the shoulder and upper back muscles.

Simple seated twist

Sitting in easy pose with legs crossed, place the left hand on the right knee, twist the torso to the right while placing your right hand on the ground behind you. Glance towards the back of the room. Repeat on the other side.

Cat/cow pose

Starting in quadruped (table top) find your neutral spine and start slow. On an inhale, lift the chest and lift the gaze towards the ceiling while dropping the belly towards the mat. On an exhale, begin to press the ground away while rounding through the shoulders and the spine bringing your chin to your chest. Repeat the cat / cow movements 5-10x.

Thread the needle

Come to a table top position and on an inhale, lift the right arm high to the sky, exhale and draw that right hand all the way under the body and over to the left side of the mat until your shoulder is grounded and you can rest on your right shoulder and right temple. Take the left arm around the lower back for a deeper stretch. Repeat on the other side.

Shoulder rollover

Come onto your belly and extend your right arm out to the side to shoulder height with palm facing down. Place the left palm on the mat next to your chest. Push into the left hand and begin to roll open to the side of the extended arm (in this case the right). You can also step the left foot up and over or just keep your legs stacked and slightly bent. Repeat on the other side.

Forward fold variation

Plant your feet about hip distance (2 fists width) apart, find a slight bend in your knees, shrug your shoulders towards your ears then roll your shoulders together and down your back. Interlace your fingers behind back and hinging at your hips forward fold while extending your arms to the sky.