There’s always time to stretch – even if you don’t realize it at first! I love finding time to stretch during the day, especially when I’m working, stressed or sore. There’s always benefits to taking some time for yourself and using powerful yoga poses to your advantage. It’s relaxing, healing and will leave you feeling ready to face the rest of your day. Here is my list of the best times to practice yoga – Add yours below!

1) When your muscles are sore

I tried a new workout for the first time this week, which really just turned out to be an insane amount of lunges and squats. So fun! While I appreciate the idea of “leg day,” my legs did not love the idea of functioning properly afterwards. Luckily, I had time to practice Let It Go Yoga to ease the tension. I’m not going to lie, most of the poses were painful, but my legs felt so much better from doing this practice! I was so happy that I thought of it. I might skip leg day in the future, but this list is proof that I did try it one time.

2) At the beginning of the day

I like to tell myself that I’ll take a moment at the end of the day and stretch out on my yoga mat. Sometimes I do that (and I mark it in my calendar when I do) but mostly I come up with an excuse, (But a good one! Like sleep). I’m starting to take the time to stretch at the beginning of the day instead, so that I will definitely get my stretching in before I do anything else. I’ve found that my body feels more limber and I have more energy when I practice in the morning. I’ve also noticed that I tend to have better posture after doing a few poses. I recommend incorporating it into your morning routine – You can mark it on the calendar once it’s been completed!

3) When you have downtime during the day

If I’m waiting on an email to come in, or I have an hour to kill before getting back to work, I’ll get creative and stretch it out! There are plenty of office yoga techniques to try during the workday. I love that there are postures that you can do at your desk! Office yoga improves focus and reduces stress, so it’s really better than staring at your phone for an hour. You’ll feel rejuvenated when you get back to work!

4) When you’re waiting for traffic to die down

I always like to look into yoga classes that are close to where I’m working so that I can spend some time stretching and relaxing instead of heading into rush hour with the rest of the city. There are a lot of options for great yoga classes – You could even go to the gym and find a place to listen to the Let It Go Yoga audio class. I love the drive home afterwards, which is so easy once the traffic has died down and I’m feeling re-energized.

5) Right before a stressful workday

My new favorite game plan is to take a restorative yoga class the night before a stressful workday. It started as a way to calm my nerves and now I fully look forward to the class every time I need it. I love restorative yoga, it combines my love of deep relaxation with my love of not having to do anything. Plus I don’t have to stress about the next day at work! It typically works out for the best. Try it, it’s the greatest secret to making your week less stressful!

When do you find yourself practicing yoga? Let me know in the comments!

Written by Emily Parsons, Certified Let It Go Yoga teacher.

Want to know more about Let It Go Yoga? Start here with our Diaphragmatic Breathing Video!