Practicing yoga for stress relief comes in particularly handy at certain times of year. Trading summer vacation for being back to school or experiencing an especially overwhelming month at work is an essential time to get back on your mat so you can find your center. The trick is finding the time when you’re already overscheduled. But even a 10-minute yoga practice can help remind you to slow your breath and access some inner stillness so you can chill, no matter how chaotic the world around you seems.

The following sequence can help you move some of that stress through you so that you, in turn, can move through your day with more ease.

Yoga for Back-to-School Stress Relief

You don’t need any props for this practice, although keeping a block or block-like support close by can help prevent any tricky yoga poses from adding to your stress load.

Thunderbolt Pose

Begin kneeling in Thunderbolt Pose with your toes tucked beneath you and your sit bones resting on your heels. If you prefer, you can instead sit cross-legged on a block or other support. Rest your hands on your thighs, doing your best to sit as tall as possible.

Breathe here for 1 minute.

Woodchopper Breath

Stand on your knees and reach your arms overhead. Make a fist, either by bringing your hands together or interlacing your fingers over your head. This is your inhalation position.

As you exhale, drive your fists down in front of your belly as if you’re chopping wood.

Repeat these movements, moving with your breath and making your pace slightly quicker than that of your natural breath, for 1 minute.

Thunderbolt Pose

With your last inhalation, hold your arms overhead. As you exhale, return to Thunderbolt and take 5  breaths here.

Hip Circles

When you’re ready, come to a Tabletop position with your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees. Lift your left knee and make 3 large circles.

Lizard Pose

Step your left foot to the outside of your left hand into Lizard Pose.

Thread the Needle Variation

Inhale as you reach your left arm toward the sky.

Exhale as you Thread the Needle, sending your left arm under your chest and behind your right arm.

Inhale to open your chest again toward the left side of the mat, reaching your arm upward. Exhale into Thread the Needle. Repeat this pattern of movement 3 times, moving with the pace of your breath.

Half Splits

Bring your hands to the inside of your left foot again in Lizard Pose. Straighten your left leg and flex your left foot in Half Splits. Lean forward slightly to the inside of your left leg.

Stay here or reach your left arm upward toward  the sky again, twisting your chest open.

Another option is to sweep your left arm overhead, reaching your left fingertips toward the front edge of the mat, to stretch your left side body.

Take 3 full breaths wherever you are.

Revolved Low Lunge Variation

Reach your left arm back toward the sky and rebend your left knee in a Low Lunge. Reach your left arm toward the back of the mat.

Take 1 full breath here.

Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend

Bring both hands back to the mat. Then tuck your right toes, lift your right knee, and pivot to face the right long side of the mat in a Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend.

Revolved Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend

Place your left hand underneath your face and send your right arm toward the sky. Take 1 full breath here.

Downward-Facing Dog

Walk your hands and pivot your feet to face the back of the mat and come into Downward-Facing Dog.

Stay here for 3 full breaths.

Torso Twists

Gently land your knees on the mat and return to Thunderbolt Pose.

Take some Torso Twists here. Bring the tips of your fingers to rest on your shoulders, elbows out wide. As you inhale, twist toward your left.

As you exhale, twist right. Move through these quickly for 5 full breaths.

Come back through center. Come back to Tabletop facing the front of the mat and repeat the following poses on the opposite side:

• Hip Circles
• Lizard Pose
• Thread the Needle Variation
• Half Splits 
• Revolved Low Lunge Variation
• Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend
• Revolved Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend
• Downward-Facing Dog

Humming Breath

Gently land your knees to the mat as you finish back where you began in Thunderbolt Pose.

Take 3 humming breaths here. Keep your lips sealed, and hum on your exhalation. Inhale through your nose, exhale making a humming sound.

Bring your hands to heart center in a prayer-like position. Thank yourself for showing up on your mat today.