Desk Yoga Poses to Sneak Into Your Workday (In Just 30 Seconds)

“], “filter”: { “nextExceptions”: “img, blockquote, div”, “nextContainsExceptions”: “img, blockquote, a.btn, a.o-button”} }”>

You know that feeling when you’re sitting at your desk and literally the the only thing helping you hold onto your composure—by a thread—is the knowing that you’re slipping out to yoga class later? In one hour and 53 minutes, to be exact?

Then it happens. That sinking feeling in your soul as you witness, as if in slow mo, something land in your inbox that will keep you at your desk late. Something that you can’t delay or delegate or dismiss. Something that elicits equal parts despair and defeat and indignance as the horrified understanding settles in that no, you’re not making it to class.

I feel you.

But here’s the thing. In less time than it would take to self-indulgently post to IG or drop a ranting text in your group chat, you can pause and slip into one yoga pose. And it’s pausing everything and coming into one yoga pose.

Not just to stretch. To cathart. To reassert your essential self. To slow your breath and remind yourself how yoga makes you feel. No, it ain’t no 60-minute practice with the teacher whose playlists make you forget the world and whose extended Savasana inevitably make you feel stoned. But it’s better than nothing.

And you can do it literally anytime you have literally 30 seconds to spare.

The following poses are ideal for exactly that. They demand no unrolling of the mat. No change of clothes. No kneeling on a hardwood floor. And no prep.

Still not convinced? In the time it takes you to question it, you could instead simply try these desk yoga poses and collect some empirical evidence for yourself.

Desk Yoga Poses You Can Do in 30 Seconds (Or Less)

Practice the following poses one at a time throughout the day as needed. They’ll take your body in all the shapes it so desperately needs after spending eight hours—oh, who are we kidding, 15 hours—at your laptop.

For those poses that aren’t symmetrical, don’t forget to come back to the other side after your next meeting.

Standing Forward Bend

If you have time for only one pose, make it one that’s so simple it was dubbed “rag doll.” You simply lean forward and do nothing but unleash your tension. That’s it. In yoga tradition, forward bends have long been considered an antidote to anxiety or heightened emotion of any sort. The science is still out on that—although the concept is seductive AF and, anecdotally, quite effective on lower back tension.

How to: Step away from your desk, bend your knees a little or a lot, and slowly lean forward, hinging at your hips in Standing Forward Bend. Let your neck release and your head be heavy. Unclench your jaw. Your hands can dangle or loosely rest in the crooks of your opposite elbows. Play with drawing your shoulder blades toward the ceiling or explore shifting your weight from your heels toward the balls of your feet. Maybe you sway a little side to side. Or you can simply stay still and luxuriate in the silence as you do nothing else for those next several breaths. (Feel better?)

Feeling too defeated or tired to stand? Forward bend while sitting at your desk. Scooch your chair back, take your feet a little further out than your hips, and let yourself sink forward.

Chair Pose

Well, turns out there’s something almost as intense as back-to-back meetings or that constantly complaining colleague. Namely, Chair Pose. At least the posture comes with tangible benefits.

How to: With your big toes touching or your feet hip-distance apart, bend your knees and bring your hands to your hips. Sink your hips back, settle your weight into your heels, draw your navel toward your spine, and either press your palms into your thighs, reach them alongside your ears, or bring them into reverse namaste behind your back. Lengthen through your back. Don’t forget to breathe.

Revolved Lunge

Feeling pulled in all directions never felt so good. (Not advisable when wearing a slim skirt.)

How to: Step your left foot back as if you’re coming into a lunge. Keep your left knee lifted and your hands on the mat. Push through your back heel and reach through the top of your head toward the wall in front of you. Gaze down and slightly ahead as you reach your right arm toward the ceiling and turn your chest toward the right. Keep lifting your left hip so it doesn’t sink toward the floor, pushing through your back heel, and breathing. Turn to gaze toward your right hand.

Stay here or, for more of a shoulder stretch, bend your right elbow and reach your right hand behind you, palm facing away. Shrug your shoulder blades away from your ears.

Switch sides either now or after your next meeting.

Reverse Warrior

This shape essentially asks you to bring a little ease and grace into your upper body even as you withstand intensity throughout your lower body. Sorta like smiling as you accept that additional project on top of everything else.

How to: Come into Warrior stance with your right foot forward, your back foot angled slightly inward, and your front knee bent. Arms extend straight out to the sides like in Warrior 2. Lengthen through your spine and keep the bend in your front knee as you reach your right arm upward and rest your left hand on your left thigh. Relax your right shoulder a little and try to lift your left arch. Breathe and create some space in your side body.

For a more intense shoulder stretch, bend your left elbow and bring your left hand behind you, palm facing away, in a half bind.

Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend

Try this desk yoga pose facing away from your laptop so you can crawl your fingertips as far as they can away from your work. Consider it a feigned attempt at escaping that may help you see the humor in your situation. Or it may just make you want to cry.

How to: Stand up and face away from your desk. Take your feet as wide as you comfortably can, angle your toes slightly inward, place your hands on your hips, and exhale as you hinge at your hips and lean forward. Place your hands on the floor and inch them away from you as you sink your weight into your heels. Release your neck. Breathe here.