Working from home has its perks, but staying active while doing so can be tough. When you’re not leaving the house to get to the gym or even just taking a walk around the block, it’s easy to let yourself go and become sedentary all day long. Even if you work in an office without much physical activity throughout the day, chances are there is some sort of break where you can take a walk or easily sneak in some crunches at your desk. However, when working from home there aren’t many passive opportunities for movement. There are however plenty of ways that don’t require too much of a time commitment! Here are 12 ways to stay active while working from home
12 Ways to Stay Active While Working from Home
1. Get up every hour
This may seem like an obvious and tedious thing to do, but the health benefits of hourly physical movement are significant. Setting an hourly alarm is helpful in making this a habit.
2. Take a daily walk outdoors
Whether you live in a big city or rural area, getting away from the computer for a walk outside is always a good feeling. That said, it can be tough to make time to prioritize. Try and set a time each day to get out for a stroll – this can become a powerful routine.
3. Walk around the house
There are always things to be done around the house. Whether you’re hauling something to the garage, or cleaning up the dishes, getting your blood flowing and knocking out some chores always feels like a win.
4. Stretch at your desk
This is something that my boss is always reminding us to do. Stretching is great for the body, and can even be implemented while you’re on the clock. We all know which meetings we can get away with a bit of multitasking in.
5. Make a midday run to the store
Instead of doing all your shopping on the weekend, save a few trips for the week to force some needed breaks from the computer and get your body moving.
6. Wash your car or general cleaning on your lunch break
Few things feel better than getting into a freshly cleaned car or having a clean home. Take some time during one of your longer lunch breaks to wash the car or do some cleaning around the house and get some exercise!
7. Do a 10 minute workout in the mornings
This may seem like quite a commitment, but we’ll waste 10 minutes doing just about anything else. Get into a routine of getting your heart rate up for at least 10 minutes each workday morning. Youtube has tons of short workout videos if you need inspiration.
8. Dance to your favorite song
This one may sound silly, but it always gets me moving. Queue up one of your throwback playlists and dance around for a few minutes. This is sure to refresh your mind and get your body moving for a little bit.
9. Walk to the nearest coffee shop
If you’re a caffeine person and really enjoy well brewed coffee, take a walk to the nearby coffee shop before work. This one gets you moving in the morning, and has a tasty reward.
10. Stand throughout the day
If you’re in a meeting that doesn’t require you to be glued to the computer, this can be a great time to just stand up. Try to implement a few standing sessions throughout the day – we all know how bad sitting for too long can feel!
11. Drink smaller glasses of water
I only recommend this one if it doesn’t mean you’ll stop drinking enough water. Using a smaller glass will require you to fill up more frequently, and get your legs moving in the process. The trips will add up!
12. Join a virtual fitness community
This option is great because it can allow for a lot of flexibility. Whether you’re looking to get it done in the morning, or fit it in during lunch, online fitness classes can be very motivating and hold you accountable!
Staying Motivated
By now, you know that sitting for too long is really bad for your health. The combination of prolonged inactivity and poor posture can lead to back pain, neck issues and even heart disease if it becomes a longer-term habit. But working from home doesn’t mean you have to be sedentary all day! There are plenty of ways to stay active when you work remotely so take a look at the ideas above – you might find one (or five!) to be helpful inspiration on how to keep moving throughout the day. If one isn’t working for you, try a few others or a combination of a couple. It’s all about finding what’s best for your situation. The most important part is getting started!
