The information age bombards our brains with a lot, not the least of which is the need to maintain our physical health in unique ways. Yoga balls are one of many methods of fitness and wellbeing infiltrating the web, with bloggers and influencers proclaiming them to be the be-all-end-all on your journey to abs and spirituality alike.
While that may be true (after all, we're not here to judge), we know that the potential of a yoga ball seeps far beyond the need for fitness. They're more multifaceted than any exercise guru can imagine and, when decorated in our yoga ball covers, they're more comfortable and appealing, too. As such, we want to shed some light on the top 10 ways to use a yoga ball that's—get this—not exercise.
1. Working Remotely and at the Office
If the desk just isn't cutting, we understand. At GGL, we, too, find the need to switch up our working positions, whether it involve taking a stand or lounging on a bean bag chair with the laptop in its namesake position. To work atop your yoga ball, place it before your desk on a yoga ball holder, or set it up organically for a bit of active movement as you sit. Maybe this will turn out to be your new go-to at the office or in your home.
2. Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is beautiful, but it can also be a pain, with some mothers finding it to be a trying (albeit rewarding) venture. If you choose to breastfeed—and yes, you have this choice—you may find the urge to switch up your position. Don't be afraid to look to how to use a yoga ball for a novel kind of breastfeeding stance. Who knows, it could prove to be your next favorite position, and the bounce may be precisely what your baby needs to feed or sleep comfortably.
3. Practicing Your Breathing
For many, breathwork and its benefits can be a gamechanger. One of the beauties of intentional breathing is that it can be done anywhere, anytime and on any surface. Sure, pillows and cushions are great, but there's no harm in switching up your stance. Next time you take to breathwork, try plopping on a yoga ball and see how it alters your practice.
4. Drinking Coffee
Most days, we arise with the hope that an alertness and fortitude to take charge of our lives will come easier than expected. Most days, that goal requires a bit of a push, and coffee tends to help. With a yoga ball, you can add simplistic activity to further enhance your alertness. To us, it makes for a pretty solid morning routine.
5. Switching Up Your Movie-Screening Position
Yoga ball surfaces don't have to be reserved for the bum. If you want to try watching your favorite show or movie in a different kind of position, try switching up your angle and lying tummy down. After all, refreshing your perspective can make a world of difference in how you view things, even movies. And this position may grant you easier reach of the popcorn, too.
6. Finding Your Rhythm
If you haven't yet noticed, yoga balls have a bouncy flavor to them. Why not take advantage of this by putting on your favorite tunes and jamming in a whole new way? After all is said and done, you may finally find the rhythm you've been after all your life (but hey, no promises).
7. Reading a Book or Kindle
We're old school in some ways and avant garde in others. Whether you prefer tangible pages to flip or a compact tablet to swipe, we get it. Whatever your preference, your yoga ball serves as a solid base for your next literary endeavor. So, take a seat in a whole new way and dive into your favorite plot of fiction, taste of life lessons or ocean of poetry.
8. Crafting the Evening Away
How's that handmade scarf coming along? Using a yoga ball could be just what you need to refresh inspiration for your knitting, crocheting or crafting project. Moreover, your yarn will have plenty of room to roam, leaving you unburdened by the confines of a swallowing sofa or closed-off desk.
9. Bringing Fun to a Boring Phone Call
We've all been there. The call comes, and you have no choice but to answer. If only there were a way to make telephone-based meetings and conversations a little more...exciting. That's just where a yoga ball can help you. Roll right on and you may find that the bounce, movement and novelty of a yoga ball can bring a little meaning and inspiration to an utterly monotonous phone call.
10. Opening Up and Emptying Out
The irony of a yoga ball is this. While there are innumerable ways to use it for your benefit, we often find the most beneficial of these is to use it for nothing at all. That's right; by utilizing a yoga ball as a space for clearing your mind and opening up room for peace and tranquility, you may uncover that the most meaningful of activities is the one in which you do nothing.
The Consensus on Everything But Exercise
We're not against exercise by any means (trust me, we're proponents of it when the time is right). However, we believe that life has a lot more to offer, and that a yoga ball and the right cover can serve as the welcoming agent for all of those "other" moments.