A Daily Yoga Practice: How To Set Yourself Up For Success & The Benefits

Last Updated:

Maintaining a daily yoga routine can be very beneficial for a person’s overall well-being, way beyond the physical benefits.

Oftentimes, students that were once new to the practice and satisfied with visiting the yoga studio once a week, begin to learn about the multiple facets of yoga, and realize they want to incorporate it into their lives more.

In this article:

  • Daily yoga benefits
  • Considerations when starting a regular practice
  • How to create a daily yoga routine
  • Parts of a regular practice
  • A selection of yoga routines
  • Daily yoga beyond the mat
  • Tips to sustain your yoga routine

Read on!

group of people in a yoga class on mats

Benefits of practicing yoga daily

When starting to feel and recognize the benefits of practicing yoga, even when you only go to a studio once a week, you may begin to wonder how often you should practice yoga every week.

Maybe you take advantage of packages and deals at the studio so that you can hit the mat as many times a week as possible if your schedule aligns and you have the budget. Or, you may choose to use a daily yoga app.

If you have more limited availability or financial resources, or if you want to have full autonomy over how, when, and where you practice, learning to develop a home yoga practice can allow you to practice regularly to feel the daily yoga benefits!

Yoga has cumulative effects, meaning that when you commit to showing up on your mat regularly, the benefits increase and become more tangible.

two older people doing yoga at home

Here are some of the benefits of a regular (or daily) yoga practice:

  • Strengthens your body
  • Promotes focus and calm
  • Reduces stress and anxiety
  • Creates balance and harmony
  • Regulates the nervous system
  • Increases self-awareness
  • Improves rest and sleep

Considerations when starting a daily yoga practice

One of the most important things you can ask yourself before starting a daily yoga practice is why.

Having an intention, in yoga also known as Sankalpa, can really help you align your new yoga routine with your values and needs.

Before you start this new ritual, sit with yourself and think about what it is that you intend to create with this yoga practice, and in this way, it will be a little bit easier to show up day after day, especially when you’re short on time or you just don’t want to.

woman sat meditating on her yoga mat

Know why you want to practice, and you’ll find it much easier to show up for yourself.

Here is a journaling prompt if you’re in need of a little inspiration:

What does your ideal day look and feel like? How can your daily practice support this energy?

Whatever method you use to come up with your intention for your daily ritual, keep it simple, write it down, and put it in a place where you can see it and read it often.

How to Create Your Own daily yoga routine

Starting your day with yoga asana can help improve your mental focus and concentration, helping you feel more prepared for work or whatever your day may have in store.

Doing yoga first thing in the morning does not work for everyone, however. Most of us have family members to take care of, jobs to get to, and tasks to get done as soon as our eyes open up.

At What Time?

When creating your own daily yoga routine, sit down with your schedule and see where the true gaps and free time is, or even spaces in your day where you may be utilizing your time poorly.

Making time to practice daily is very important, and making sure that the time you choose is sustainable for you, will be paramount to your success.

For some, this may mean practicing at the same time every day, for others, it may mean committing to 15 minutes of restorative yoga before bed during the workweek, and going to the studio on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and practicing Vinyasa flow.

group of people in a yoga class in puppy pose

For How Long?

Practicing daily yoga for 60 minutes may be sustainable for some, but keep in mind your own schedule, and be realistic about how much time you can actually commit to your daily yoga routine and not let it become another stressor in your life.

Make it accessible for you!

Where?

Beside your bed, in your walk-in closet, on your balcony, or in your dedicated yoga room, where, is less important than how intentional the space is.

Whether you have a large space or a tiny one, set it up in a way that is as private and cozy as possible, so that it supports the sacred practice space you intend to create.

Parts of a daily yoga Routine

If you’ve ever attended a yoga class in person or online, you may have noticed that the practice doesn’t only consist of randomly doing shapes with the body.

woman meditating in a yoga class

Yoga classes are often comprised of at least these three components:

1. Yoga asana (the yoga postures)

2. Pranayama (breathwork techniques)

3. Meditation

Many yoga teachers also weave yogic philosophy, somatic practices, as well as other wellness techniques into their classes and offerings, depending on their scope of practice.

After considering how long you’ll practice, begin to look at what yoga postures, breathing techniques, and meditation practices would best align with your Sankalpa, and develop your daily routine from there.

You may need to contact an experienced yoga teacher to help you find practices to best support your needs.

1. A morning yoga routine

If you’re looking for a gentle yoga practice with no props, ideal to do first thing in the morning or in the middle of the day, check out this free 25-minute class on YouTube, with a focus on spine health.

Feel free to practice the same class for a specific amount of time and observe any changes that may start to occur in your body, mind, and energy.

You can also use this practice once or a few times a week, alternating with other online and in-person classes.

2. An Energizing Yoga Class

When you’re in need of a pick me up, whether that’s when you’re feeling sluggish in the morning, or when you feel like you’re about to hit a wall in the mid-afternoon, try this energizing Youtube yoga class with Ashton August on YouTube.

This is a great daily practice if you’re working on developing strength and stability, and also perfect to alternate with other more relaxing, grounding classes, to bring more balance into your daily yoga routine.

3. Daily Yoga at Work

Another space where you may want to consider bringing your yoga practice is your workspace.

Whether you work from home or at an office, if you sit in front of a computer for long periods, or perhaps commute far by car or public transport, taking a break in your workday and creating a daily yoga practice may be very beneficial.

Try this chair yoga class that you can do seated at your desk.

Explore practicing some of these movements a few times throughout your workday, as a short reset.

4. An evening yoga Practice

For those with more space to practice in the evenings, here is a calming, grounding restorative yoga practice.

Make sure you grab all your yoga props so that you can reap all the benefits of this calming yoga class with Johanna Lundqvist.

This class could be your daily go-to whenever you need to let go of stress or to end your day.

It can also be a great sequence to use on days when you feel low on energy and alternating with more vigorous, uplifting classes.

Daily yoga beyond the mat

If getting on your mat every day is simply not a possibility for you for a myriad of reasons, remember that there is much more to yoga than physical postures.

If practicing asana every day (or at all) is not for you, look into other facets of yoga and wellness that may interest you:

  • Meditation
  • Pranayama
  • Yogic philosophy
  • Journaling
  • Exercising
  • Spending time in nature

Whatever daily practices you choose to try, practice for 21 or 40 days, allowing time for your body, mind, and energy, to embody the practice and reap the benefits.

woman using her laptop to do a yoga class

To Recap

When life gets overwhelming, it may be easy to neglect ourselves first, dropping the habits that ironically, could support us and help us get through the difficult time.

When wanting to commit to your daily yoga routine, remember:

1. Repeat your ‘why’ often to stay aligned

2. Create a sacred space that is quiet and yours, no matter how small

3. Remain flexible and adaptable and modify your routine as needed

4. Remain kind and compassionate toward yourself

5. No matter what, remember that you’re always doing the best that you can

6. Journal to keep track of how you’re feeling

7. Use a daily yoga app to stay inspired

8. Keep your expectations of what you’ll be able to do reasonably low and flexible

9. Get an accountability partner so that you can check in often and stay motivated

For more styles to try in your daily practice read this next.

Photo of author
Laia is an Afro-Catalan accessible and inclusive yoga & meditation teacher. She has trained in hatha, vinyasa, trauma-informed yoga, yin yoga, and restorative yoga and holds E-RYT 500 and YACEP accreditations with the Yoga Alliance. Additionally, she is a freelance writer and translator, publishing in Catalan, English, and Spanish. As a former professional athlete who lives with a chronic illness, Laia has gained valuable insights into the benefits of self-care and the importance of pausing and slowing down. She is dedicated to sharing accessible and sustainable practices of yoga and meditation to help people create a more harmonious life. Being a black and chronically ill individual, her mission is to empower non-normative yoga teachers to find their unique voices and develop tools to make wellness practices accessible to the communities they serve, thereby taking up space and creating a more inclusive and diverse yoga industry. Furthermore, as a writer and creative, she is passionate about supporting other creatives and innovators. She fosters a genuine community dedicated to finding balance while staying productive and inspired. Laia has developed unique techniques that intertwine yoga and meditation with writing, journaling, and other accessible methods to help each other stay creative and mindful.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.