Ah summer – it’s finally here! And with summer comes vacations, time with family and friends and often a very busy schedule, especially if you work. Many people find they “fall off the wagon” during the summer when it comes to their yoga practice, so how can you incorporate yoga in your life without giving up your whole summer or making it just “one more thing to fit in”?
Here are 5 ways that we recommend:
(1) Do a small amount of yoga every day. This could be 15 minutes on your mat in the morning, some deep breathing and a twist before you’ve even gotten out of bed or 30 minutes of restorative yoga before bedtime. While 60+ minutes of yoga is ideal, it’s not always possible, and something is always better than nothing.
(2) Do yoga first thing in the morning. Then, no matter what your day holds, you’ve made time for yourself and you start the day balanced and calm. Aim for at least 20-30 minutes, but if you are running late, even 10 minutes can make a huge difference in your mood and energy for the day. If you have trouble getting up early, start going to bed 15 minutes earlier every night, until waking up early for yoga starts happening naturally without an alarm clock. (But we recommend setting an alarm clock anyway, just in case.)
(3) Do yoga while you’re living your life. When you’re lying on the beach, do a twist. Playing at the playground with your kids? Try a forward fold, then rag doll up to stretch your hamstrings and spine. Lying in the hammock? Do some deep breathing, maybe even sigh a few times to release tension.
(4)Do yoga at work. Corporate Yoga is convenient, inexpensive and saves you time. Classes start at just 45 minutes in length and we bring them right to your workplace.
(5) If it’s not already a regular thing for you, every so often, change up your yoga practice by taking a class outdoors at a park or at a yoga studio in your neighbourhood. You will probably do some new yoga poses you have never done before, you’ll be introduced to a new teacher and their unique style of teaching and you will probably have a great time. Or, even better, hire a Private Yoga teacher.
Remember, it’s not all or nothing with yoga. I have seen plenty of students completely abandon their yoga practice over the summertime, only to come back in the fall and have to start all over again. A few minutes a few days a week is all you need. And when you do miss a day or two, don’t do the guilt trip. Simply remind yourself that you’re human, it’s summertime and you’re having fun, then set the intention to have yoga in your life every day. We’re pretty sure you’re going to enjoy it!