Working from home does not require you to be sedentary. A lack of interaction, movement, and routine affects some remote workers’ mental and physical health. Learn how to stay active while working from home, and you’ll quickly notice an improvement in your energy, stress, and anxiety levels.
Did you gain weight when you started working remotely? For many people, working from home has changed their diet, stress level, and daily sedentary time. A 2022 study showed that 59.1% of people gain weight while working from home.
Since the remote work trend is here to stay, for most of us at least, it’s vital to find ways to stay active, healthy, and happy.
Why Is It Important to Stay Active While Working From Home?
It’s no secret that physical and mental health are linked. According to the CDC, regular physical activity:
- Strengthens muscles and bones.
- Improves brain health.
- Helps manage weight.
- Reduces your risk of some cancers, cardiovascular issues, and some diseases, including type 2 diabetes.
- Keeps your learning and judgment skills sharp.
- Reduces your risk of anxiety and depression.
- Improves your sleep.
With a clear mind, you can focus better, feel more energized, make better decisions, and have more creativity, leading to better independence and problem-solving skills.
7 Ways to Stay Active While Working From Home
1. Don’t Stay Glued to Your Chair
Sitting down in your workspace may help your brain realize it’s time to work, but you don’t need to spend your entire day there. Many of my creative ideas come to me when doing something completely unrelated- like walking, reading, or swimming.
Take a walk when you have a chance. Instead of taking a thirty-minute call at your desk, take it as you clean your home or walk around the neighborhood. Brainstorm your upcoming project as you walk. If you need to take notes, carry a small notepad and pen.
2. Make Life Slightly More Difficult
If you have everything you need within an arm’s reach, you won’t likely get up and get steps or movement in. Instead of having your water right next to your computer (which is dangerous anyway), leave it in the kitchen. You can do the same with items like your phone, printer, and chargers.
3. Exercise At Your Desk
If you can’t get away from your desk, you’ll have to get creative with seated exercises and stretches.
Tap into some yoga and pilates moves. Try head rolls, arm circles, leg lifts, calf raises, and shoulder rolls. Try these exercises with ankle or wrist weights to intensify them.
4. Change Your Seat
Yes, every remote worker should have an ergonomic desk chair. But, to increase activity, switch it out every once in a while for a medicine ball or an exercise bike. Even two thirty-minute stints in a seat that activates your core or encourages movement will help you build muscle, burn fat, and focus better.
5. Get a Standing Desk
An NCBI study shows that Americans spend approximately 7.7 hours daily sedentary, about 55% of their day. Consider investing in a standing desk instead of sitting at your desk all day. Even without active movement, you do yourself a favor by not sitting down.
If you want to go the extra mile (literally), purchase a walking pad to use under your standing desk. In just twenty minutes, you’ll likely clock one mile while reducing your risk of heart disease by up to 30%.
6. Schedule Time For Exercise
During a workday, if you see something scheduled on your calendar, you’ll likely adjust the rest of your day to make time for it. Depending on your time-management techniques, you might schedule exercise at a specific hour, throw it on your to-do list, or wake up and get it done early in the morning.
In an eight-hour workday, schedule at least three twenty-minute intervals for movement. This movement can be a walk, weight lifting, cardio, swimming, or any other form of exercise you enjoy.
7. Dress For Exercise
On days you don’t need to be on camera, why not wear exercise gear? Wearing workout clothing can motivate you to take the next step and actually exercise. This way, you don’t need to worry about getting your nice clothes dirty or making time to change before taking a wellness break.
