1. Get up early
No one wants to compromise their precious sleep time, but rising before your kids do – and sometimes before the sun – may be the perfect way to get your daily yoga in. To save even more time, lay out your clothes the night before to cut out a step of what you have to do in the morning. Alternatively, practice in your pyjamas!
- Drag yourself from your bed and onto your mat – read our 5 tips on starting morning yoga
2. Practise with your kids
Kids move and mimic naturally, which means they want to be doing whatever you’re doing all the time. In this case your child’s obsession with recreating your every move may be to your benefit. So why not include your kids in your yoga practice? Kids love to be upside down, so make sure to include some inversions in your yoga.
If they stay focused throughout your practice, give them some kind of treat to reward their good behaviour. Make their favourite food for dinner, read them an extra story at bedtime, or give them five more minutes to play. Showing your kids that yoga can be fun and rewarding for them will make everything go more smoothly and offer them so many benefits too.
- For more ideas to make yoga enjoyable for you and your little ones, read Introducing your kids to yoga.
- EkhartYoga members: explore the breath, sun salutations, postures, partner yoga and relaxation together with your kids in our special Yoga for Kids programme
2. Make an appointment
Putting a specific time and date on your calendar may make you more likely to keep your yoga practice. Put an alarm on your phone to remind you you told yourself you would take that time to practice, and do your best to stick with it.
4. Take your mat with you
You never know when you’ll find time to practise and yoga mats don’t take up too much space. Keeping your mat at hand gives you the perfect opportunity for impromptu yoga practice. If you’re at home all day, just keep your mat tucked away in the corner. Even practising for five minutes can make you feel better.
5. Reclaim your time
Sometimes there just isn’t enough time in the day, so you’ll have to steal it from somewhere else. The 10 minutes you spend checking and replying to emails can easily be converted into yoga time. Those emails will still be there later!
6. Redefine what yoga means for you
No one routine or set of poses will be right for you throughout your entire life. Part of parenthood, and yoga, is flexibility. Learning to rearrange your life around the needs of your children is an exercise in itself.
While you may not have time anymore for all your favourite asanas, you may still find time for Savasana. Figure out which parts of yoga still have a place in your life, and let go of the parts that belonged to the old you.
- Read Surrender to change – one yoga teacher’s story of how pregnancy redefined her approach to yoga
7. Practise after bedtime
If getting up early for yoga isn’t an option and you can’t manage to find any time during the day to practise, you can still make time for yourself after the kids have gone to sleep. Once everything quietens down you’ll havea little more space for your yoga.
8. Plan your class
It’s one thing finding the time and motivation to practise, but another thing completely to know what to do with that time. Having a series of poses planned or having your favourite routine bookmarked and ready to go will make it easier for you to dive into your practice. This is where online yoga really comes into its own!
- EkhartYoga members: Try 21 Mornings with Yoga The classes are only 20 minutes long and you can follow them in a programme so you don’t have to pick a class each day.
9. Make a special space
Being flexible with where and when you do yoga is great, but having a special space that’s dedicated to yoga can help you focus more on the task at hand.
When you head to your special yoga space, you know you’re there to practise. Getting your mind ready is just as important as warming up your body.
- For more ways to help integrate yoga into your daily life, read 8 tips on how to do yoga at home
10. It’s not all about asana
If your day is just too busy and you can’t find any time for your asana practice, you can still work on your yoga by focusing on your breathing. Learning to connect and move with your breath is an integral part of yoga and is something you can access (and practice) at any moment.
- For a greater understanding of how giving yourself over to the breath will change your experience of yoga and make a difference to your life, read: The breath is boss, the breath is yoga
Finally, remember, there’s no wrong way to make time for yoga. Any time you can dedicate your practice will make a difference to your overall health and happiness. Using these tips can help you find new ways to work yoga into your life, but the power to practise yoga on (and off) the mat is within you.
Further reading
- 12 easy ways to bring yoga into your day – no mat or yoga clothes required!
About the author:
Jennifer Landis is a tea-drinking, yoga loving, nutrition nut and health journalist. Mama to a rambunctious toddler who has shown her the meaning of life – her life anyway. Mindfulness Mama is where Jennifer shares her passion for living a healthy, mindful, and balanced life as a working Mama with all those who seek knowledge with a dose of wit and solidarity!
