5 Simple Ways to Practice Yoga Off Your Mat

There's a calm that comes with a regular yoga practice. A peace that falls when you settle into your first child's pose and a bliss that spreads throughout your body as you rest in savasana.

Through a mindful practice, you can let go of whatever is happening outside of class. You can let the feel of your body and the rhythm of your steady breath become your entire world.

But once you roll up your mat and step out of the studio, the rest of your life can come crashing in. Traffic, work, parenting, laundry, bills, doctor appointments, grocery shopping. Some days it seems like the list never ends and everyone you meet is pulling you in a different direction.

While you might want to drop everything and move to an ashram, there are easier ways to bring a bit of yogic calm into your life off the mat.

1. Honor your limits

Practicing ahimsa (non-violence) includes being kind to yourself and respecting your limits. On the mat, that may mean reaching for a block or strap, or resting in child's pose when you lose your steady breath. Take that same respect off the mat by giving yourself permission to say no. You don't have to do everything for everyone.

2. Test your boundaries

On the other hand, you'd have never reached [insert your most challenging yoga pose] if you hadn't stepped out of your comfort zone and pushed a little harder. You don't know what you can achieve in life until you try. You may stumble along the way, but—like falling out in a yoga pose—you just pick yourself up and try again.

3. Breathe

Yoga, and life, is all about breathing. Whether you're attempting bird of paradise, delivering a presentation, taking an exam, or navigating the grocery store with toddlers, breath is what keeps you calm and lets you stay in control of the situation. Just a few deep breaths, slow and steady, can change your entire perspective.

4. Live mindfully

Part of the calm that comes with yoga is from the mental focus of a mindful practice. But mindfulness isn't limited to the flow of practice. Mindfulness can be practiced in every aspect of life. Slow down, stop multi-tasking and simply observe whatever you are doing. Savor the taste and the texture your dinner. Take in the scent and feel of the bubbles as you wash dishes. Really listen, instead of thinking about your response. The world becomes more beautiful when you see it clearly.

5. Allow time for rest

It's been said that savasana is the most important, and most challenging, pose in yoga. It can be hard to rest quietly at the end of your practice and even harder to find time for rest in the middle of your busy day. But rest is vital. Rest resets your mind and rejuvenates your body. It lets you function more effectively. You don't have to meditate or practice a specific pranayama. Simply find a few minutes to close your eyes and give yourself permission to rest.

Practicing yoga off your mat can change your perspective and help your yoga bliss last throughout the day. It may even encourage you to learn more about deeper yoga philosophies.