Working from home can be amazing. No more rush hour traffic, the stress of your daily commute is gone, and best of all, you get to answer calls from your favorite couch.
It is amazing!
But, there’s a downside to this. Working from home makes you less physically active.[bctt tweet=”Working from home makes you less physically active.”]
No more walks to the bus stop or the meeting room. Everything happens while you are on your chair.
The dangers of a sedentary lifestyle are real, and it can lead to many undesirable health effects. Thankfully, there are ways to remain active while working from home, and we’ve put a few of them together.
Replace Your Commute Time With Workout Time
You probably spend up to an hour on your journey to the office. Maybe even more. Try to use at least 30 minutes out of that time to engage in moderate physical activity every day.
You can go for a run or a brisk walk. You can also skip, do lunges or push-ups. The great thing about working out before work is that it wakes up your entire system and leaves you feeling alert and ready to start your day.
Stand & Work
Another simple way to remain active is by working from a standing desk.
[bctt tweet=”You can improvise by getting a table or platform that is at your elbow level at home.”] You can improvise by getting a table or platform that is at your elbow level at home. You can also stack it with enough books to ensure that your laptop screen is at eye level.
Standing on an anti-fatigue mat also helps to prevent you from getting tired fast.
Swap your boring seat for an exercise stability ball
Replace your work chair with an exercise ball for short moments during the day. An exercise ball is a great way to keep your core (trunk) muscles active while working. So, while you are focusing on work, your muscles are working to keep your back upright and counter the ball’s movement.
Have active meetings
You do not need to sit at your desk for every meeting. You can go on a walk during a meeting, or even walk around your home. A walking-meeting is an easy way to ensure you stay active during the day.
Also, the change of scenery during your walk can spark up new ideas in your mind and make you more productive. Walk more, sit less!
Make Your Work Station Accessible
Sometimes, the greatest obstacle to staying physically active while working from home is your workstation. Your workstation should be easy to get into and leave as well. That way, it will be easier for you to stand up and do some stretches while working.
Keep Moving
Run up and down the stairs at home during short breaks, walk briskly (or jog if you can) when moving around your home. Do wall push-ups whenever you pass a wall at home. Stretch your body intermittently. Always find little ways of adding light exercises to mundane activities.
Also, you should avoid sitting down for long stretches without moving around (ideally, stand up and stretch every hour).
If you do all these, you will be well on your way to being a bonafide member of the fit-fam club while working from home.
