Govt asks employees to take a yoga break in their office chairs

NEW DELHI: The central government has asked its officers who, owing to their busy schedule, are unable to practice yoga outdoors, to take a short ‘yoga break’ or ‘Y-Break’ while sitting in their office chair.
The Y-Break at Workplace protocol, devised by the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga under the ministry of ayush, helps government employees de-stress, refresh and refocus within a few minutes, in between work. It consists of a few ‘light’ yoga practices including asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), and dhyana (meditation). “The officials can now benefit themselves while sitting in their office chair by practising a short-duration yoga,” the DoPT said in a communication sent to all central ministries and departments on Monday.
The Y-Break protocol exercises are available on the ministry of ayush website in four separate videos. Those practicing it at the workplace can do so while sitting in their office chair or standing near their desk. “The feedback of the protocol has been very encouraging,” said DoPT.
The Y-Break module, lasting no more than 5-6 minutes, uses simple asanas to stretch arms, feet and legs, besides building in basic breathing techniques and meditation for relaxation of the mind. If practised on a regular basis, it helps to not only maintain the general health of government staff but also pushes up their productivity, Ayush minister Sarbananda Sonowal had claimed while launching the ‘Y-Break’ mobile application for working professionals in 2021.
The ‘Yoga in chair’ is particularly aimed at senior officers who, due to long meetings and the burden of clearing many files in a single workday, find little or no time to focus on their physical or mental well-being.
DoPT has asked all Central ministries and departments to widely disseminate the Y-Break protocol amongst their employees.