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If you’re anything like me, you hate being busy. Or, I should say, hate feeling busy. Being busy means there’s a million and one things on your to-do list, including things you’ve unsuccessfully tried to get out of doing.
Feeling busy, on the other hand, means your mind has become convinced there is no time for anything besides said to-do list and the basics required for survival such as eating and sleeping.
But the way to ease feeling busy isn’t to always do nothing. Sometimes, it’s actually adding more to your life. Namely, more times when you put yourself first. For me, that looks like sitting my ass down on my mat and playing one of my favorite YouTube yoga practices. It’s not long before I’m reminded of my inner strength, my capacity to slow down and be present, and that I am so much more than the things I do that keep me feeling so busy.
5 YouTube Yoga Videos for When You Need a Damn Break
When you find yourself believing you have *no time* even to slow your breath, consider this your cue to stop, drop, and practice yoga. Because of all the beautiful things that you are, being busy is not the most important.
1. Rejuvenate and Restore: Whole Body Yoga Flow
This first half of this practice by Yogini Melbourne is active and energized, as you’re cued in Down Dog variations, Planks, and Squats. Yet the second half winds you down with forward folds, a reclined posture, and Savasana. It’s a much needed reminder that sometimes you need to release some of that pent-up energy in order to access your inner calm.
After the final resting pose, I felt as refreshed as if I’d just gotten a restful night of sleep.
2. 30-Minute Silent Yin Yoga
If you’ve never practiced along with a silent yoga video before, you may need to prioritize that. Thanks to the minimal cueing in this practice by Yin Yoga with Katie, you experience the intention of yin yoga, which is for each posture to become an opportunity to tune in more deeply to your own experience. Each pose is held for four minutes.
As someone who listens to a lot of podcasts, music, and audiobooks, a silent yoga practice felt like a sound reprieve I didn’t know I needed. Granted, I had to figure out variations that worked for me in lieu of teacher suggestions, such as coming into Sphinx instead of Seal and resting my chest on a stack of pillows in Half-Butterfly. If you’re familiar with yin poses, chances are you can figure it out.
3. 5-Minute Yoga Stretches for Wrists
This is a quick and thorough sequence for your overworked and underappreciated wrists. Scroll the comments section and you’ll see dentists, weight-lifters, and those with carpal tunnel syndrome describe how they’ve practiced with the video to help relieve tension and pain and improve wrist strength. Kassandra (yes, of Yoga With Kassandra) notes that artists and musicians can also benefit from these stretches, as will anyone who spends their days at the computer.
Can we please make this practice a required warm-up before any and all Down Dogs in every single yoga class ever?
4. 10-Minute Yoga for Stress and Anxiety
Yoga With Bird sets a relaxing vibe with minimal cueing and gentle background music. This stress-soothing practice focuses on long-held reclined stretches, starting with Reclining Bound Angle and ending with Happy Baby.
Nothing says relaxation like getting to practice an entire sequence on my back. No rising to sit or stand. Ever. I’d also like to thank Yoga With Bird for this Savasana, which lasts a glorious four minutes and twenty seconds (I timed it).
5. 15-Minute Mindful Relax & Restore Yin Yoga Practice
This four-pose practice from Breathe and Flow guides you through a gentle backbend, a forward fold, and a hip-opener. Many desk dwellers have dropped their gratitude in the comments section for a practice they enjoy during work breaks.
There’s a calming balance between cueing and silence in this practice. Though I was mostly vibing out with my eyes closed while in each pose, it was relaxing to take in the video when my eyes did peek at the screen—a dimly lit room with a bit of natural sun peaking through. Would it be cheesy to say that’s a metaphor? For my dimly lit days, yoga is so often the beam of sun.
