Finding Time For Yoga

Now all this being said, I know daily yoga practice is obtainable because prior to moving to NYC I used to make time for it every single day. Whether it was a quick 10 min flow before bed or an hour-long session at the beach, I was one truly dedicated yogi. Of course, having a job at the time that allowed me to work from home helped, but no matter. 😉

Living in the big city has made the busyness of life amplify 10x over and I’m in struggle central trying to figure out how I can get back to a dedicated yoga routine. Especially because after a long day in the office, the last thing I usually want to do is roll out my mat when multiple reruns of Gossip Girl in my pajamas sounds SO much more appealing.

Keeping that in mind the following tips are to motivate myself as much as they are for any of you who are trying to find yoga time in your busy schedules. I can attest that I’ve tried all of these and now it’s just a matter of committing to them. 🙂

• Put your mat next to your bed and spend 5 minutes stretching before your morning cup of coffee. Anyone who knows me personally knows I am far from a morning person. I’d much rather hit the snooze button and soak up every possible last second of sleep before rushing out the door. However, I have to admit there’s something to be said about having a few extra minutes in the morning where you’re not vigorously brushing your teeth & throwing on clothes to relax and prepare yourself mentally for the day.

• Put on the yoga pants – but then actually do yoga. When you get home from work, rather than jumping on the couch right away, change into your yoga clothes and take 15 min to go through a simple flow. It doesn’t always have to be a rigorous workout; just spending some time breathing deeply in child’s pose or laying quietly in savasana can be enough to clear your mind and help rid you of any stress.

• Create a dedicated “yoga spot” in your home. Whether you live in a shoebox studio or a giant McMansion, find someplace that fits your yoga mat and establish that as your place of zen. Convenience is a major factor when it comes to making time for yoga, and if you’re always looking for a place to do it, it’s that much easier to keep your ass-ana (sorry, couldn’t help myself) on the couch instead of on the mat.

• Establish a goal & hold yourself to it. Aside from the emotional benefits of yoga, figure out what else it is you want to get out of your practice. Have you always wanted to do a headstand? Are you dreaming of doing the splits? Make it a goal and get ready to work towards it. Depending on your body, it may take 2 weeks or 10 years to truly feel comfortable in a certain yoga pose, but you’ll never know until you try it.

• Find like-minded people to practice with. Having a friend to partake on the yoga journey with you makes it so much more fun and easier to hold yourself accountable to daily practice. If you don’t happen to know anyone who practices yoga – find a yoga studio near your home and join! If it’s too expensive, try joining one of the many monthly yoga challenges hosted on Instagram (Check out @BeachYogaGirl & @KinoYoga). The “insta-yoga” community is huge and thriving, full of advanced yoga practitioners and regular peeps like you and me who just happen to enjoy it. You’d be amazed at the wonderful people you can connect with online if you open yourself up to it.

I hope you find these tips to be helpful and inspire you to begin your daily yoga journey! If there’s anything YOU do that helps you find time for yoga please share it in the comments below; I’d love to try it out!

PS: Having a pet practice yoga with you makes it so much more fun. And by practice I mean jump all over you, put their toy on your mat and lick your face while in a headstand, of course. 😆