Finding Time for Yoga

For those who know yoga, the single most quoted reason for why they do not practice yoga is lack of time.  How, in such a hectic life, does one find time for daily yoga?  Even a weekend session of 30-minute yoga is a challenge to pull off, how is daily practice possible?  We have kids, spouses, jobs, social appointments, doctor visits, shopping, chores and errands.  The to-do list is never-ending, the day is just packed full!  Where is the time for yoga?

First of all, let us understand what we mean by yoga.  In its full meaning, yoga is a state of being – a meditative state of being at all times.  Yoga is not just a set of asanas performed at a set time of day.  Yoga is a spiritual practice of keeping ourselves in a certain way, keeping ourselves in a certain alignment with creation.  So now we can understand that yoga can be practiced all day, no matter what the activity.  As the living Indian sage Sadhguru states, “everything that you do should be towards enhancing your own nature… everything can be used as a spiritual process.”

Secondly, let’s take a look at finding time for the asanas themselves.  Practicing physical yoga correctly increases the energy levels in the body.  That has two impacts that both address this question of finding more time in the day.  First, the sleep quota goes down.  Avid yoga practitioners can sleep fewer hours and still operate at peak.  So practicing yoga actually creates time for itself by taking back time we would have otherwise spent sleeping.  Second, because of increased energy levels, we become more effective and are able to accomplish more in the less time – again another time finder.

Thirdly, this whole question of finding time for yoga comes down to priorities.  We have time to watch TV, we have time to chit-chat, we have time to spend hours on our mobile devices, but we have no time for yoga.  So there’s no such thing as no time for yoga – what is really happening is that yoga is being pushed out of the schedule in favor of other activities.  Let’s be honest with ourselves, if yoga is important in our lives, then it simply gets prioritized in.  The simplest solution – just wake up 30 minutes earlier and do your yoga at dawn.  After a few weeks, and certainly after 40 days – the practice just becomes habit in the body.

Lastly, here are three quick and practical tips for finding time for yoga:

1. Practice yoga in the mind. Change your attitude that yoga is a physical practice done at a particular time in the day.  Practice living yoga.
2. Do yoga as you breath. Conscious breathing with awareness is a yoga in and of itself.
3. Maintain your yoga posture throughout the day as you stand or sit, and slip in some standing yoga in the shower! Be creative – yoga can hide in lots of your daily activities!