5 Minute Yoga? Every Moment Counts
How much time should I dedicate to my practice?
As a beginner in yoga, I often find myself asking: Am I practicing enough? Am I committing the right amount of time?
If it were up to me, I would practice yoga all day long. I would never get bored, especially now that I’m just starting out. I constantly strive to improve. I understand that yoga isn’t about pushing myself beyond my limits.
However, my desire to fully embrace the benefits of each asana sometimes leads me to try to do just that. But I shouldn’t feel pressured. What I truly need is consistency and discipline. If you choose to practice yoga in the morning or at another time during the day, it’s essential to follow through and not skip sessions. The same goes for the days you’ve designated for practice.
This approach builds the determination to pursue your development step by step. If you can do that, then you can achieve anything.
Yoga Every Day
I can practice yoga every day, and in fact, I could do it all day! However, certain factors sometimes extend beyond our control. While I adjust to these moments, I often have to make compromises. For instance, I’m a single parent working 8 hours a day in an office, similar to many of you. The actual time I have just for myself tends to coincide with when others are typically resting.
Besides my office job, I have another ongoing role as a homemaker and mother, along with the many other responsibilities that come with being a parent. I find time early in the morning and after my child falls asleep at night. I enjoy my practice the most on weekends. Yet, despite the lack of time I wish I had for yoga, it doesn’t stop me from dedicating as much as I can.
Yoga every day? Absolutely, it’s possible!
Better 5 Minutes of Yoga Than None
Even now, after building my habit and adhering to my own discipline, some mornings I struggle to carve out 30 minutes. Instead of worrying about fitting into that time frame, I simply start. If I need to, I’ll settle for just 15 minutes. Even 5 minutes of yoga beats none at all.
Follow your set schedule without wasting time altering it at the last minute. Do as much as you can—it will always give you more than skipping it. It’s great to stick to the program we’ve established, but how many of us can manage our time exactly as we wish? We juggle various roles, commitments, and responsibilities.
If we can handle these challenges, we can also effectively find time for the activities that benefit us the most. And yoga is definitely one of those activities—once you incorporate it into your life, you’ll realize it was one of your best decisions.
How Can 5 Minutes of Yoga Make a Difference?
You can truly complete a sequence of 7-8 basic poses as soon as you step out of the bathroom in the morning or while waiting for your coffee or morning drink.
Here are some poses to consider:
You can even practice Surya Namaskar (I’ll leave that for a separate post).
Like most of us, I spend a significant amount of my time sitting at my laptop. Since I know this isn’t the best for my body, I frequently get up in the office, find a suitable spot, and do a few asanas. They may not be the most precise in execution, despite my efforts, but they genuinely boost my energy and tone.
Office yoga
When life hands you lemons, make lemonade
Regardless of our circumstances, we can always find 5 minutes for yoga. Yes, it’s not enough, but it’s certainly better than nothing. So, if life presents you with office space—use it creatively. If you have 10 spare minutes in the morning, you’ll benefit much more from doing yoga than watching the morning news. When life offers you something, use it in the best way for you.
It’s wonderful when we can spend much more time on self-improvement. Setting goals and pursuing them leads to new achievements.
Dear friends, practice whenever you have the chance, and that chance begins with how you organize your time.
