The 5-Minute Workday Shutdown Stretch

Issue 3 of the Desk Mobility Brief. Issue 1 was about quick stretches between calls, and Issue 2 looked after the neck, eyes and hands. This week is about the end of the day: a short routine to mark the switch from work mode to home mode when your office is a corner of the kitchen or the spare room. It takes about five minutes and you only need a little floor or wall space.

1. Close the laptop, then stand and reach (30 seconds). Interlace your fingers, turn the palms up and reach toward the ceiling. Take three slow breaths and let your shoulders drop as you lower your arms.

2. Wall chest opener (1 minute). Place your right forearm on a wall or door frame at shoulder height and turn your body gently away until you feel an opening across the front of the chest. Hold for 30 seconds per side.

3. Standing forward fold with soft knees (1 minute). Feet hip-width apart, knees bent as much as you need, let your upper body hang toward the floor. Nod your head gently and sway a little. Roll up slowly, one section of the spine at a time.

4. Low lunge hip flexor stretch (1 minute). Step your right foot forward into a short lunge, lower the left knee onto a cushion, and shift your hips forward until you feel a stretch at the front of the left hip. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch.

5. Box breathing to finish (1 minute and 30 seconds). Sit or stand comfortably. Breathe in for four counts, hold for four, breathe out for four, hold for four. Repeat four or five rounds.

The idea for this week

Make the routine your "commute home". Do it at the same time each day, right after you close the laptop, so your body gets a clear signal that the workday is over.

Safety note

Keep everything gentle. Stop if anything causes sharp pain, numbness, tingling or dizziness, and check with a qualified health professional if you have an existing back, hip or knee condition. If breath holds feel uncomfortable, simply breathe slowly instead.

If you would like a timer to follow along with routines like this, try Flexor App for stretching.