3-minute yoga stretches to do when working from home (and need a break)

“You can‘t always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside“

Many of us spend long hours working from home, which makes it essential to stay mindful of our posture and the tension that builds up in the body — often a reflection of our mental state — particularly around the neck and upper back.

If you sit for extended periods (even in an office chair), this short sequence of stretches can do wonders for your body and mind. You can also watch my first YouTube video for inspiration — it’s not professionally produced, but it offers a simple guide to the flow of each stretch. Feel free to use it as a reference and adapt it to your own rhythm.

If you’d prefer to join a LIVE class with me, just send me a private message to let me know!

So let’s start in 1 – 2 – 3

Start by sitting up tall. You can either extend your arms overhead, interlacing the fingers, or bend the elbows outward, creating space across the chest. Take a deep breath in through the center of the body, and as you exhale, gently lean to one side, drawing the navel in. Stay here for 3–5 slow, steady breaths. Inhale to return to center, and with your next breath, open the front body by leaning slightly back, arching the lower back, pressing the pelvis forward, and lifting your gaze toward the ceiling.
Repeat the same movement on the other side, keeping your awareness on each cycle of breath and the lengthening sensation along the side of your body.

Continue breathing deeply through the nose. Bring your palms together in front of the chest, then inhale as you open your arms wide into a “W” shape, expanding the chest and lifting the heart. Hold for 2–4 seconds, and exhale as you bring the palms back together. Repeat this movement 5–10 times, or more if it feels good. Remember — with each inhale, lift and open the chest and belly; with each exhale, draw the navel in and release all the air through the nose.

Beautiful work. Now, let’s stand up for a few simple yet therapeutic back stretches. Place your feet hip-width apart (it’s best to go barefoot for better grounding and stability). Interlace your fingers behind your back or hold opposite elbows. With a deep breath in, prepare; as you exhale, gently fold forward, bending the knees if needed to ease tension in the lower back. Lift the arms slightly toward the upper back, feeling a soft opening through the shoulders. Keep the core engaged and the spine long. Stay here for 3–5 deep breaths, pressing evenly through all four corners of your feet and activating your thighs to stay steady.

To finish, try a gentle chest opener like Gomukhasana arms. If your shoulders feel tight, use a strap or simply rest the hands on your back. Extend one arm up toward the ceiling and the other down toward the ground. As you exhale, bend both elbows and try to bring the hands closer together behind your back, opening the chest and drawing the top elbow gently back. Hold for 3–5 deep breaths, then slowly release, extending the arms in opposite directions before switching sides. Move mindfully and with care as you come out of the pose.

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Please visit my Youtube channel to find more yoga sequences. You will find core-strengthening stretches and weight-loss exercises.

If you want to see more content like this, please leave me a comment below or via Facebook or Instagram @ladysoulflow or email ladyjerez@gmail.com – then I will start investing in some professional equipment to produce more high-quality videos and photos. Thanks for taking the time to read the full length of this post. I appreciate it and I look forward to hearing from you 🙂

Namaste