Working from home has many advantages, but it doesn’t come without its disadvantages either.
Especially when it comes to staying in shape.
You lose those simple activities that once helped keep you fit on a daily basis, like the walking and cycling that may have accompanied your commute. Worse still is the fact that you have a reason not to leave your desk or work area. You’re cooped up inside, missing out on what once got ya moving.
It’s amazing how much of a difference 30 minutes of exercise each day can make. Working from home shouldn’t have to put an end to your active life, or negatively impact your mental and physical health.
You have to prioritize physical activity, every day, in order to be your healthiest, happiest self.
And I’m here to help you do that, with the help of a few trusty scientists.
Here are eight tricks for doing that.
1. Go for walks or runs regularly.
Working from home does not mean that you can’t go out of your house at all. You have the time and chance to, so you should make the most of it to get some outdoor exercise. This will surely help improve your fitness level. Apart from just boosting your fitness, the change of scenery and fresh air is also good for your mental health.
Don’t sleep on the value of a Fitbit or other fitness devices either for keeping track of your steps. These can make all the difference in encouraging you to get moving, and it can be a lot of fun to try to make your step goal each day.
2. Stretch. Stretch often.
There are many benefits to your body from stretching. Get yourself a mat and spread it out in your bedroom or home office, and start your day with any kind of stretch that you prefer. You can learn from online yoga, dance class, or gym class. You can also stretch using stretch bands.
When you stretch your muscles and joints, get some movement, which is good to do before you retreat to your two-hour online meeting. Stretching relieves aches in your joints that may come from sitting for too long. It’s an effective home fitness activity.
3. Try an under-desk-bike.
Traditional chairs may not be good for your back, especially if you are sitting back for a long while, this isn’t good. You could solve this problem by looking into under desk bikes. The lower half of this bike is stationary, allowing you to pedal throughout the day. So while you are productive over the desk, you are doing a physical activity that keeps you fit under the desk.
4. Take every chance you can to move. Forget the elevator at your apartment complex.
Like the under desk cycle, walking up and down the stairs can bring you lots of benefits. If you’re living in a multi-story building, use it to your advantage. Avoid using the elevator when you need to go outside and use your staircase several times per day. It can effectively compensate for your sedentary way of life and keep you in shape.
Take any chance you can to get moving.
5. Stand up every hour.
One effect that working from home has on you is that it keeps you stuck in your seat for so long. The fact that you don’t have distractions from coworkers and colleagues to go out together for lunch breaks makes it worse. But for the sake of your health, endeavor to get up from your seat every hour.
When I need to do my assignment at work I often set up a timer to serve as a reminder so I don’t forget to stretch my limbs every now and then. It is simple but effective.
Again, fitness bands and smartwatches can also help with this. The Apple watch actually sets a “stand goal” each day and sends you wrist vibrations as notifications to stand throughout the day. This is especially helpful if you lose track of time and forget to stretch those legs every hour!
You can shop Apple Watches at a reduced price on Amazon. Some of those links are below.
6. Eat healthy meals and snacks throughout the day.
It is impossible to overstate how important it is for you to eat healthy meals to keep yourself fit and healthy. While it is essential to stretch and go for walks or use ergonomic machines, the food you eat plays a significant role in your physical fitness. So stock your kitchen with healthy foods. You could distract yourself with fresh fruits during those one-hour stretches that you take.
Avoid junk foods at all costs, even though it’s tempting!
7. Try a standing desk or standing desk converter.
If there is one way to ensure that your body and joints continue to move and are active while you work, then it has to be that you are in a standing position. Sitting for too long is dangerous to your health, so it is essential to add ergonomics. Take turns to sit and stand while working.
This is where a standing desk or standing desk converter is super helpful.
This allows you to stand for a short period while working and sit for other periods, and both are very easy to do. The slight variations that you are able to make while you work will affect your overall well-being massively. Standing breaks the curse of sitting for too long and also burns extra calories in the body.
8. Do workouts from the comfort of your living room.
One exciting thing about high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is that it only requires very little equipment to pull them off, and better still is that you can do it from home. All you need to do is include it in your work from home plan.
These HIIT workouts are going to make you sweat out massively, but you are going to be engaged, and you are not going to get bored at it. If you ask other remote workers at Essayontime that are into HIIT, they will confirm that you are going to get quick results.
There are plenty of workout routines on YouTube too, so if Pilates, Yoga or any other fitness regimes are more your jam, you can find them.
So choose one that you like and follow. It could be for 15 minutes or 30 minutes, and it is free. If you are entirely new to this or just hearing it for the first time, you should try it out.
It is easy to lose your physical fitness if you just sit around every day working from behind a desk. Keeping fit while working from home can be so tough and often requires added effort and changes to your routine.
But it’s worth it.
Your health is always worth it, and these tips can help you take care of yourself the way you deserve.