Your career is booming, and you spend most of your time juggling work, meetings, family, and social outings with friends… And you’re wondering how to fit yoga into your daily life. Don’t worry, many people have the same question, and I’m one of them! With all the daily chaos, it can seem difficult to find the perfect moment to roll out your mat. However, you can integrate yoga into your lifestyle without disrupting your routine too much. Here’s a simple and easy-to-follow plan that will allow you to incorporate asanas into your life without upsetting your professional or personal commitments.

Start your day with a quick yoga session

A simple solution to integrate yoga into your routine is to wake up a bit earlier than usual. If you get up 20 minutes earlier — I know, it’s not easy, but after a few mornings, I promise you won’t even notice it anymore! However, you’ll have enough time for a short morning yoga session. You don’t need a long sequence to enjoy the benefits of yoga. A simple routine of 15 to 20 minutes, including sun salutations, a few standing postures, and deep breathing, will be enough to energize you for the day.

The first alarms will make you want to negotiate with your alarm clock, but you won’t regret getting up!

If you don’t want to leave your home or if you’re on a budget and can’t make it to a studio, you can simply roll out your mat in your living room. A quick online yoga session or using an app is perfect for activating your body without leaving your home, especially with winter approaching. Not only do these sessions work on flexibility and strength, but they also have a beneficial effect on your mind, helping you start your day with calm and clarity. By taking a small moment just for yourself, you can even add 5-10 minutes of meditation.

Tip: A mat that’s left rolled out all the time looks much more inviting!

If your mat is always laid out somewhere at home, you’re definitely more likely to use it much more!

Set small goals for yourself

Alternating between different types of yoga (dynamic like Vinyasa or gentler practices like Yin) will allow you to work on various aspects of your well-being, whether it’s physical strength or mental relaxation. To gradually intensify your practice, you can set weekly goals: for example, add five more minutes to each session or incorporate a more complex pose each week.

You could also choose to practice the same pose every morning. You’ll notice that by creating such a routine, you’ll quickly become aware of your progress and learn to know yourself better.

Maximize your break moments with yoga

You’d be surprised to discover how many moments in your busy day offer opportunities to practice, even briefly. The key is to learn how to spot those small, often overlooked moments, and turn them into chances to move or breathe. For example, if you have a few minutes while waiting for your coffee to brew, use that time to do a few standing poses, like Tree Pose (Vrksasana). This pose helps you work on your balance and stretch your muscles while staying mindful of your breath.

If you work at a desk, you’re probably spending long hours sitting. This can affect your posture and lead to back or neck pain. To counter this, why not include short yoga breaks throughout the day? For example, every hour, take 2 to 5 minutes to stand up, stretch, and practice poses like Forward Fold (Uttanasana) or Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana). If you have a quiet space at work, you can even take a few minutes for a more fluid sequence, like some Sun Salutations.

With or without props

Another tip is to sit on a balance ball instead of a chair for two to three hours a day. This helps engage your body’s stabilizing muscles and strengthens your back without you even noticing. I believe this trend was quite popular during the pandemic! Don’t have a ball handy? No problem! You can simply commit to keeping your abs lightly engaged while sitting for 5 minutes every hour. This simple action can improve your posture in the long run. Feel free to set an alarm to remind you to move!

Get up and move as much as possible

One of the most important things you can do for your overall health is to get up and move regularly. Yoga can easily fit into these times. For example, when you get up to refill your water bottle several times a day, take a few extra moments to do some gentle stretches or poses that lengthen tight muscles.

If you want to squeeze even more movement into your busy schedule, why not take advantage of your lunch break? Use this time for a short yoga session or a mindful walk. If you don’t have time to sweat and shower afterwards, opt for a yin yoga session. Gentle stretches don’t require intense physical effort, but they help release built-up tension. A great way to forget about morning worries and help you get going again in the afternoon.

Practicing yoga in the evening

If possible, find a studio near you, and sign up for one or two sessions per week. This will allow you to have a weekly appointment to practice your asanas with caring supervision, in addition to creating a beautiful community that shares your passion for yoga!

Practice yoga on weekends

If you haven’t been able to do as much yoga as you would have liked during the week, with your busy schedule, the weekend is the perfect opportunity to catch up. In addition to being a great way to relax, practicing yoga on the weekend can also become a precious moment for you, away from the daily stress. A longer session, an hour or more, will allow you to connect more deeply with your body and your breathing.

You can also use your free time to explore aspects of yoga that you might not normally practice during the week, such as pranayama (breathing exercises) or reading about yoga philosophy. Taking the time to explore these approaches can really enrich your relationship with yoga and bring you even deeper benefits, both physically and mentally.

And why not invite your friends or family to join you for an outdoor yoga session or a weekend yoga workshop? Not only will this give you a great time together, it can also boost your motivation. Practicing yoga together can create positive memories that remind you how important it is to make space for this practice in your life.

Make yoga a priority, even with your busy schedule

Finally, perhaps the biggest challenge in fitting yoga into your busy schedule is making it a priority. Just as you would make the effort to plan a meeting or a night out with friends, you need to make your yoga practice important. Put it on your calendar and treat it like a must-do.

Not every yoga session has to be long or complex. The key is consistency and intention. Whether you do 10 minutes of yoga in the morning, take a moment to breathe deeply during the day, or spend an hour exploring more advanced postures on the weekend, every little practice counts. By incorporating yoga into your daily routine, you’ll quickly discover that it doesn’t take away your time, but instead gives you more energy and clarity to tackle the challenges of everyday life.

So grab your mat, take a deep breath, and make yoga an essential part of your lifestyle. You’ll be surprised how much this practice can transform your well-being, both physically and mentally. That’s what happened to me!

Tell yourself that I am also one of those who fight every day against the desire to stay in bed or do nothing after my completely crazy days and my busy schedule. Each little encounter with my yoga mat remains a great victory to improve my daily life as well as how I feel!