When you think about blogging, what comes to mind?

Do you get excited and know exactly what to do and how to do it?  Or do you feel confused, frazzled, and weighed down by the sheer volume of tasks associated with growing a successful blog?

Have you ever considered using Yoga to help you grow a successful blog? If not, keep reading!

Blogging Can Be Stressful

As a blogger I know how easy it is to feel overwhelmed and pressured by the sheer volume of online information about blogging.

Surfing the net, looking for easy ways to start your blog is time consuming and stressful.

Where do you start?

Whose advice do you follow?

Should you invest in coaching?

Perhaps you feel a mixture of apprehension and pleasure – you enjoy “writing” yet feel intimidated by the mechanics and technical details of blogging.

The list of things to do is endless and leaves you feeling bewildered, confused and frustrated. Uncertainty and confusion leads to stress which saps your confidence and blocks your creativity — key ingredients you need to start and grow your blog.

Learning to relax, to let go of stress and confusion to stay calm, focused and alert is an essential part of blogging because in the long run, it saves you time and energy. That's where the ancient art of yoga supports your desire to be a successful blogger.

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A journey of a 10,000 miles begins with a single step – Lao Tuz

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3 Yoga Exercises for Bloggers to Reduce Stress and Overwhelm

In its basic form, yoga consists of yoga stretching exercises (known as asanas), breathing exercises (known as pranayama), relaxation techniques and meditation techniques. Together, these mind-body exercises help you to release stress and tension from the body, calm and quiet your mind, rest and rejuvenate your spirit.

One of the downfalls of being a blogger is the amount of time you spend working, hunched-up staring at a computer screen. This creates tension and stress in your body.

How many times have you got up from your chair with a stiff back, sore neck and tired eyes? To be at your best, you need to feel relaxed energized and alert, not stiff, tense and stressed!

If you have never tried  yoga before, here are three simple  “Yoga For Bloggers” exercises you can do right now to get a feel of how stress-free yoga makes you feel.

Exercise #1: Arm Stretch To Ease A Stiff Back

Try this simple chair yoga stretch, which you can do on a chair seated at your desk to relieve tension in your torso and shoulders.

Before you begin:

• Sit comfortably on your chair.
• Feet flat on the floor, arms hanging loosely at your side.
• Lower your shoulders to create space between your ears and shoulders, gently squeeze your shoulder blades together  and sit up straight by lengthening  your spine.
• Take a slow steady deep breath in and out through your nose. 

Next…

• Breathe in and slowly stretch your arms out to the sides and straight up in the air above your head.
• Keep your arms up above your head. Slowly breathe out and arch your back slightly and tilt your chin up into the air.
• Breathe in and as you breathe out slowly stretch your arms back out to your side and rest your hands on your lap.
• Repeat 5– 7 times.

Exercise #2: Shake Your Hands

Constantly typing away on a keyboard takes its toll on your wrists and fingers. Without realising it, your fingers and wrists get tired and start aching, which over a period of time can lead to Repetitive Strain Injury.

Take a moment now and practice this simple Hand Shaking Exercise, you’ll be surprised at how energized you feel afterwards.

•  Move your chair away from your desk so you have room to stretch forwards without knocking your computer. Set a timer for 2 minutes. Read the notes for this exercise first, then come back, and start the timer.
• Uncross your ankles and legs and make sure your feet are flat on the floor, toes pointing forward. Curl up and stretch your toes and then uncurl and crunch your toes up.  Do this 5-7 times. Next…
• Clench and unclench and stretch out your fingers. Do this 5-7 times.
• Place your hands in front of your body and pretend to play a piano; next start to shake, wave and flap your hands in the air. Keep on shaking and flapping and waving your hands. Vary the speed, so one moment you are doing a fast shake then slow it down to a gentle wave. (If you are adventurous you can curl and uncurl your toes at the same time!)
• Repeat this sequence of fast and slower handshakes and stretch both arms up in the air, lean over to your right side, then back to centre… keep shaking those hands… and stretch over to the left.  Keep shaking, lean back slightly and then bend forward and come back to centre.
• Still shaking your hands, lift your right leg of the floor, shake that leg and foot 5-7 times. Return your foot to the floor. Inhale and exhale and repeat with the left leg.
• Slowly return your hands to your lap. Close your eyes and sit still for the last few moments, noticing what you notice about the way you are breathing and paying attention to how your body feels.
•  When the timer goes off, gently open your eyes, take a soft deep breath in and slowly breathe out and gracefully reengage with your day.

Exercise #3: Breathe – Lion Roar

In yoga, you are taught how to breathe correctly and to use your breath to recharge and energize your mind, body and spirit.

Learning a few basic breathing exercises and how to breathe correctly will help you release frustration and the build up of anxiety and stress you feel as you surf the web feeling overwhelmed by all the information and blogs.

Try this simple breathing exercise, and notice how calm, clear and uncluttered your mind feels afterwards.

• Sit comfortable (as above), take 5-7 steady breaths in and out through your nose.
• Close your eyes and scrunch your face up, like a dried prune.
• Open your eyes, raise your eyebrows up,  open your mouth, stretch out your tongue and make a loud Roarrrrrr sound…like a lion. Really Roooaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr, emptying all the air from your lungs.
• Take a deep breath in and slowly breathe out.
• Repeat 3-5 times.
• Then sit still, rest your hands on your lap, close your eyes and notice what you notice about your energy and vitality.

Take-Away Points

Once you have tried these exercises, how do you feel? What difference do you notice about your energy and stress levels? Do you feel energized, refreshed and calmer?

Over the next three days, I invite you to schedule “Yoga for Bloggers” time into your daily planner, choose one of the above yoga for bloggers exercises – Arms Above Your Head, Shaking Your Hands or the Lion Roaaarrrrr Exercise and practice it three times during your day and see for yourself how practicing a few simple yoga exercises  at your desk can ease that sense of overwhelm and confusion as you blog.

Closing Thoughts

I hope you found these 3 yoga techniques useful and helped to reduce any stress, confusion or tension you felt. Let us know how you feel by sharing your thoughts in the comment box below.

If you are interested in learning more easy yoga tips to help ease stress and tension in your body caused by sitting down for long periods of time blogging, let us know too, by adding your comments in the box below.

In the meantime, may you be blessed with abundant energy, vitality and good health as you grow your blog. Thank you.

Namaste

 Ntathu