5 Tips for Practicing Yoga at Home

Whether you’ve never practiced yoga before or have spent years taking classes in studios, starting a practice at home can be a bit tricky. There’s no set class time forcing you to show up, no instructor encouraging you to breathe through the discomfort, and tons of available distractions and temptations to get off your mat and go do something else. Finding what works for you can be a challenge so I’ve come up with my top 5 tips to help you cultivate a kick-ass at-home yoga practice you love.

1. SCHEDULE IT

For most people one of the hardest parts about starting a yoga practice is making time for it because it’s easy to blow it off when its not an established part of your daily routine yet.

We as humans are controlled by habits - nearly everything we do in a day stems from some sort of habitual action or thought pattern that we’ve previously established. So, anytime we throw something new into the mix it takes more brain power and motivation to get it done and is therefore usually the first thing we throw out when we start to feel overwhelmed, lazy, or short on time. If you’ve ever fallen off the wagon before in trying to start ANYTHING then you know exactly how this works.

So how do you stick with it? Well, like forming any new habit it takes consistency. It’s not called a ‘practice’ for nothing, you’ve gotta show up and work on it often. One of the best ways to make sure that you don’t skip the time on your mat is to schedule it into your day the same way you would with a work meeting, a dinner with friends or a doctor’s appointment. We all know how to make time for these ‘extra’ things in our week that randomly pop up so just make yoga one of them - which is admittedly easier said than done. In order for it to work you have to adapt the mindset that this is a non-negotiable appointment, you’ve got a date with your yoga mat - don’t be late!  

Pick a time of day that’s realistic for you. If you’re not a morning person it’s probably not a good idea to commit to waking up at 5AM for a yoga session before work - you’d be setting yourself up to fail before you even started. Whether it’s in the morning, afternoon or right before bed it doesn’t really matter, just block out 20-30 minutes of ‘me time’ and write it on your calendar, agenda, phone alarm, notes app, or your hand - whatever works for you.

It also helps to be prepared before your time slot rolls around. Lay out the clothes you plan to wear for easy access so you don’t have to think about it when the time comes - just grab and go. You could even roll out your mat and have it set up ahead of time. Seriously, getting dressed and showing up is more than half the battle!

2. SET THE VIBE

After a long busy day you want your yoga practice to be something that you look forward to, not something that you dread.

When practicing at home it can be challenging to stay focused and not get distracted by noises, pets, roommates or family members. To help you get out of your head and fully into your body you’ll want to create a dedicated space for your practice. It can be anywhere in your house, your bedroom, the living room, a spare room etc. just make sure its a place where you can find peace and quiet for a short chunk of time. I recommend choosing a room with a door so that you’re able to practice undisturbed by pets or other people.

All you really need to start your home practice is your mat, but if you want to really give your space some good vibes you could light a few candles, set out your favorite crystals, diffuse some essential oils or burn a little incense. Whatever makes you feel calm and relaxed.

Rolling out your mat is a beautiful opportunity to unwind, clear your head, and come back to center. You don’t want to be distracted by your sports bra digging into your rib cage or your leggings sliding down every 2 minutes, so just wear whatever feels most comfortable for you. We’re so used to seeing these beautiful curated images online of people practicing yoga in the most luxurious yoga gear - matching leggings and crop tops with crazy cutouts, criss-crosses and mesh inserts (which I love, don’t get me wrong!) but what you wear is actually the least important part of your practice. The beauty of practicing at home is that you don’t have to go out in public or be seen by anyone so if you want to show up in your pjs, sweatpants, baggy T-shirt, or no bra - go for it!

3. MAKE YOUTUBE YOUR BESTIE

If you’re not a seasoned yogi with the ability to make it up as you go and free-flow on your own (most of us aren’t) fear not! YouTube is your new best friend. No need to go out and buy yoga DVD’s (are DVD’s still a thing?) or download expensive programs or apps when you have everything you could ever need inside the free world of YouTube.

There are so many amazing certified yoga instructors with channels for all levels to help you get started with your home practice. Whether you’re a complete beginner and want to learn the perfect shoulder and hip positioning for downward dog or an advanced yogi and want to master your next crazy inversion or arm balance there’s a video for you. You can also find super specialized practices to fit your current mood - like yoga for headaches, desk yoga, yoga for sore muscles, yoga for runners, yoga for stress, morning yoga, bedtime yoga - you name it you can find it.

Shop around a bit and search for a channel and instructor you really like. Just like in a studio setting you’re not always going to vibe with every teacher, but that’s the best part about practicing at home - you’re in control of who your teacher is. When you know you’re going to have an instructor that you love and a flow that perfectly fits what’s going on in your body or mind that day it makes sticking to your practice even easier.

Some of my personal favorite teachers on Youtube are:

• Allie - The Journey Junkie

• Cat Meffan

• Yoga with Adriene

4. COMBAT DISTRACTING THOUGHTS: KEEP A NOTEBOOK NEXT TO YOU

When first starting a home yoga practice it’s easy to fall into the habit of criticizing yourself. Telling yourself you’re not flexible, your balance is shit, you can’t do a certain pose, you keep messing up or falling over, you’ll never get to headstand or full split, your mind keeps wandering off etc.

This is your minds way of tricking you into not doing something new and unfamiliar, regardless of how beneficial it may be. Don’t fall for it. You can’t trust every thought that goes through your head so if any of this judgement or comparison pops up during your practice just notice it and choose to let it go. Always come back to your breathe when trying to recenter yourself in the present moment.

You may have other distracting thoughts pop up about other things you ‘should’ or ‘could’ be doing at the moment instead of doing yoga - an errand to run, someone you should call, a household chore that needs to be done, the dentist appointment you have on Friday that you can’t forget about etc. It can be hard to stay on your mat and stay in the present moment when these thoughts are flying around. Try keeping a notebook next to you so if an important ‘to-do’ comes up you can jot it down quickly and get back to your practice with the peace of mind that you won’t forget about it and can get around to it later.

5. DON’T SKIP SAVASANA

At the end of each practice you’ll most likely be guided into Savasana, where you’ll lay flat on your back with your arms by your sides, palms facing up and your eyes closed.

This is a beautiful moment to find calm and stillness within your body and the perfect way to close off your practice for the day. If you’ve ever been to a yoga class in a studio you may have experienced how deeply relaxing these last 5 minutes of the class can be and how restored and refreshed you feel after coming out of it.

When you’re in a classroom environment and the teacher begins guiding you into this pose it would be completely disruptive to the rest of the students (and pretty rude TBH) to just get up and walk out. But this happens all the time when we’re at home practicing alone. We’re all busy and schedules are tight so after a 15 or 20 minute practice you may get the urge to just wrap it up and get back to your life, and with no one watching or encouraging you to stay in relaxation a little longer it’s super easy to skimp on your savasana. Don’t let your mind trick you into skipping or cutting short one of the most beneficial parts of your yoga practice. Show up for savasana and allow yourself the time to relax, close your eyes and just breathe. You deserve it.