In today’s digital age, telecommuting and generally working from home are becoming the norm. It gives workers a great way to balance their work and personal lives, freeing them from wearing stuffy suits, driving long routes, and sitting for prolonged periods in uncomfortable office chairs. However, staying at home all day can make it challenging to maintain a healthy fitness routine.
That said, here are tried and tested ways to help people working from home stay active, healthy, and fit.
Add Movements
If you’re going to have a meeting with a coworker in person or have an appointment with a general dentist, take advantage of the moment. Do this by walking to the meeting place or office rather than commuting or driving your car. Doing this gives you the most out of the time, allowing you to burn some extra calories—staying fit.
Get Up Every Hour
Being idle or sedentary for an extended period isn’t healthy, even if you’ve done your daily 1- to 2-hour exercise routines. Sitting at a chair for hours on end can put you at an increased risk for several chronic conditions, ranging from type 2 diabetes to heart disease. A simple yet efficient solution is getting up every hour and walking around or stretching your body. You can ensure you keep up by setting a timer reminding you to get up and move for a couple of minutes every hour.
Go Digital
Because more and more people are working from home now, you can now access tons of instructional and training videos online. That’s why it’s best to take advantage of this moment and scout for any training programs, sessions, and tutorials. For instance, if you’re looking for a high-intensity training session, taking up pilates courses is ideal. It’s a series of concise movements, promoting core strength, better muscle control, and stability. You can find these videos on YouTube or if you’re looking for better results, hiring a personal trainer and having exercise sessions online is ideal.
Begin Your Day with Stretching
The best way to start your day to ensure you’re all energized and flexible is by stretching. You can do this on top of a yoga mat or the bare floor in your bedroom or home office. It doesn’t matter where you do it as long as you get to stretch your body and limbs. You can do any stretching, whether one you’ve learned in elementary or high school. Doing this early morning gives your muscles and joints some movement before allowing you to settle into your office chair and start working.
Additionally, stretching can help relieve joints and aches you may get for sitting that long—keeping you energized and fit.
Use What You Have
If you don’t have any gym equipment at home, don’t give up and stop trying to be active because there are numerous types of exercises you can do without any equipment. For instance, if you have full liters of water bottles, you can use those as weights or a simple workout without any equipment. You can do so many possibilities with what you have around the house—all you need to do is look around, be inspired, and move.
Consider Investing in a Standing Desk
If you don’t have the time to workout, consider getting a standing desk. It can help you stay fit and healthy while you’re working. It aids in preventing the adverse effects of a sedentary lifestyle, such as developing chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity. Sitting is the next most debilitating habit to smoking, making it crucial for you to apply ergonomics at your home office—and investing in a standing desk is the fastest way to prevent this.
Replace Scrolling with Micro Workouts
If you can’t seem to wake up earlier in the morning and find yourself starting working late in the day, instead of entirely skipping working out, find the time to implement fast exercises into your daily routines. That’s why instead of scrolling mindlessly on your phone during your free time or short breaks—sneak some workouts. For instance, when brewing coffee during early mornings, instead of waiting for it to be finished using your phone, do 30 push-ups, lunges, or squats.
Try to incorporate these small or micro workouts into your routines to elevate your heart-rate, stay energized and active throughout the day.
Although working from home comes with several health benefits, such as having control of your schedules and a chance to eat more healthily, most people neglect to be active, resulting in an overall decline in health. The tips mentioned can help you stay active while working from home with ease—helping you stay fit and healthy.
