How To Stay Active When Working From Home

Working from home is fun (at least for me) and enjoyable as you get to organize your time and life in the way that suits you.

Starting work at 8 a.m.? Waking up at 7:50 a.m. is always an option. Feeling peckish while typing down some boring tables your boss wants to be done? Grabbing the leftovers from your last night’s dinner takes less than two minutes.

However, there is a specific problem all of us who work from home sooner or later encounter – staying physically active.

It’s not just a challenge, but a huge problem if not handled correctly, especially if you are like me and are usually too lazy to move away from the desk.

However, today I offer you 10 ways to squeeze in some proper activity in your work-from-home life.

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10 Ways you Could Stay Active Even While Working From Home

1. Morning run

Developing a morning routine is essential for keeping the work-life balance, especially when it comes to working from home. It sets the tone for the day and it gives us a sense of control over our time. Therefore, by starting your day with movement, you intend for a productive and efficient day. 

The best way to do that is to go out for a jog first thing in the morning. Running is beneficial for your physical body as it improves heart health and jump-starts your metabolism. What’s more, it does wonders for your mental health as well. A daily morning run is a powerful tool for keeping yourself grounded, your mind relaxed, and gives you greater control over your stress levels. 

2. Walking

Although running is proven to be one of the healthiest habits that one could develop, it’s not for everyone. Some people find it hard to push themselves at that part of the day physically. And that’s okay – our bodies react differently and what works for some might not work for others. 

Fortunately, there’s an alternative to running,

and that’s walking. It still gets you moving, and it’s a great way to start the day, but it’s not as demanding as running. Yes, you don’t burn as many calories, and it’s not as effective as running, but it could be highly beneficial for the mind and body. So get those earplugs, put on your favorite podcast and go for a soothing walk around the block.

At this point, you might be wondering How often should you get up and walk at work. And the answer is at least 30 minutes a day, according to recent data.

In that sense, there has never been a better time to get a dog. This way you will have to go out for a walk each morning regardless if you have the motivation to do it or not. And what better way to start the day than a refreshing walk with a four-legged friend.

3. Jump-rope or weights

Okay, so you got up, went out for a run, walked your dog, and now it’s time to open your laptop, start working and…spend the next 8 hours sitting? You can see how ridiculous this sounds, right? Movement while working from home doesn’t limit to getting a breath of fresh air in the morning. You must keep your body woke during the day as well. 

That’s why placing a jumping rope or light weights around your desk is a great way to stay active when working a desk job. Whenever you feel like it’s getting a bit stressful, you can take a five-minute break and get your heart rate up. It’s a convenient and efficient way of managing stress levels and clearing up your head.

4. Getting sweaty

But jumping or weightlifting for 5 minutes before you continue with your tasks isn’t always enough. Sometimes you need to swat it off and push yourself a bit more. But how would you do that when you only have one hour of lunch break and going to the gym is a rather demanding activity? 

The obvious answer, in this case, is home workouts. Thanks to the wondrous world of ✨ the Internet ✨ you can stay in shape even if you don’t have access to gyms. 

Home exercise programs have so many benefits; I can’t count them all. Firstly, it’s low cost and you don’t have to pay for gym memberships. It also saves you time as there’s no traveling and waiting for machines and equipment. You can workout anytime from the comfort of your own home and in most cases, you don’t need any equipment. 

At this point, you’re probably asking yourself, ‘So, what exercises can I do from home?’. Well, you can start by going through all the available options, such as Chloe Ting’s challenges. She’s one of the most popular workout gurus and her workout plans are completely free. There’s also a wide variety of them depending on your goals.

5. Dance workout

Home workouts are healthy, accessible, and effective. But often we get bored after doing the same thing every day. Workout plans are a great way to maintain your physique but are they fun? Not really. 

So if you’re like most people and struggle with keeping up with a schedule, then you might enjoy dance workouts. Dance workouts are mostly cardio-oriented, and they aim to get your heart rate up in an entertaining way. Dance workouts develop your muscle tone and strength while they also improve your coordination and flexibility.

There’s a variety of them to choose from. If you need a quick boost, you might enjoy this 4-minute leg workout featuring the one and only Ed Sheeran. But if you need a more intense movement, then you should check this 10-minute cardio dance abs workout. You will burn calories and raise your motivation at the same time. 

6. Yoga

In today’s world remaining fit and healthy while working from home isn’t as hard as it sounds. And it doesn’t have to be a full-on workout. Sometimes all you need is a light stretch in your lunch break. This is where yoga comes. 

People have been using yoga as a tool for looking after their bodies for quite some time now. It’s especially useful when you’re working a desk job where you’re sitting down 80% of the time. After a full 8-hour working day most people notice that their neck or back are a little sore. That’s not unusual – our bodies aren’t programmed to sit like a shrimp all day (and no, that’s not a yoga pose).

In this case, shoulder and upper-back yoga might do wonders in long term. Exercises such as QiGong arm swings, cobra pose for basic back extension, twists, and side bends are incredibly beneficial for anyone that works from home and experiences physical pain as a result. 

If you want to shake it off after work, check out this 10-minute full-body stretch yoga routine. But if you need something less demanding, you might like this yoga at your desk exercise perfect for home office workers. 

7. Treadmill

The main benefit of home workouts is that they’re easy, and you don’t need any equipment to stay healthy. Even if you’re behind the desk all day you can still find 10 minutes to stretch or sweat a little. But if you want to go another mile (literally), you can invest in some equipment such as a treadmill.

Buying a treadmill isn’t the most convenient way to stay active when working from home, but it’s definitely an excellent alternative for running or walking if you have space for it. If you live in an area that’s unsuitable for outdoor activities but you still want to get moving, getting a treadmill will solve that issue. 

What’s more, the ultimate home office hack is getting a desk treadmill. This way, you can still engage your mind while training your body at the same time. You can find out more about the long-term effects of treadmill desks here. 

8. Meditation

When you hear the word meditation, you probably think of a Tibetian monk that spends hours disassociating and thinking about the meaning of life. Meditation has been a practice for thousands of years, and through it, many people aim to deepen their understanding of the sacred forces of life. But it doesn’t have to be as difficult as it sounds. 

It’s important to maintain your mind alongside your body when you’re working from home. A quick 15-minute meditation during your lunch break can have an energizing effect, and it’s been proven to have a positive impact on your overall performance. By meditation regularly, you increase your imagination and creativity alongside helping you to reduce negative emotions such as anxiety. 

If you’re new to meditation you might want to check out this 5-minute meditation guide that focuses specifically on people who spend their days behind a desk. 

9. Stand-up desk

It’s important to work out and meditate during your breaks, but how can you stay active all day at home? Similar to the treadmill desk, a stand-up desk is a great option to maintain a healthy physique when working from home. It doesn’t contribute to weight loss or burning calories, but there are other benefits of the stand-up desk.

It’s been proven that stand-up desks lower blood sugar, as well as your risk of weight gain, and many stay-at-home workers, express signs of improved mood and energy levels. 

However, you must be careful when switching from a normal to a stand-up desk as it comes with several ‘side effects’. If you suddenly transition from sitting to standing all day, you risk developing back leg or foot pain. That’s why specialists recommend standing for 60 minutes a day in the beginning while gradually increasing that time. 

10. Clean your space

Finally, there’s another not-so-fun task that you can do while working from home that keeps you active. And that’s taking the time to clean up your space. If you ever feel like it’s getting too much at work, stand up, grab the vacuum cleaner and freshen up your space. It will get you moving, and what’s more, it will turn the boring mundane routine into something that you do to relieve stress.

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How To Stay Active When Working From Home