Working from home is great, but the lack of movement can leave you feeling sluggish and unmotivated. No longer do you need to walk to the office or even move around for meetings. The furthest you walk is to your bathroom, to your kitchen, and back to the office (and repeat). Are you feeling the urge to move? Whether you're looking to improve your health or re-energize during the day, we have some ideas for you! Check out these tips to stay moving while working from home.

Get Up Early

If you're someone who struggles to kick start the day when you're working from home, creating a morning routine that involves some exercise might be the thing you need to get going. While it sounds counterproductive for someone who doesn't particularly like mornings, exercise is a great way to wake yourself up and jumpstart the day.

"The best exercise routine is one that you can do consistently," says Gina Iovenitti, Growth Operations at Carda Health. "While you might have activities or other things that could pop up and make you miss a day and throw off a new fitness routine in the evenings, mornings are another story. What else are you going to do in the morning other than sleep? Go to bed early so you can wake up early and establish a routine to kickstart your day."

Flexible Seating

You may have heard of this concept among your teacher friends. Flexible seating has become a popular option among teachers who deal with fidgety students who have a hard time sitting still all day long. Guess what? This works for adults too. Having a seat that moves or requires core muscle control to balance is a great way to stay moving while working from home.

"Try swapping out your regular desk chair for an exercise ball or invest in a standing desk to shake things up," says Soji James, Lead Expert Certified personal trainer at 1AND1. "There are even some standing balance boards that you can stand on while working, which can help you keep moving even when you're working on the computer."

Join an Exercise Group

Sometimes it's easier to work out if you're going to a group exercise class. Whether you're interested in pilates, cycling, or a dance fitness class, there are probably a handful of options for you at the local gym. Exercise classes are great because they don't require any planning on your part, and they're designed to help you work out and exercise using all types of muscle groups.

"If you're someone who hates the gym and is bored by the stationary equipment, exercise classes can be a great option," says Brianna Bitton, Co-Founder of O Positiv. "If you have a flexible work-from-home schedule, there are probably a ton of options at the gym for you to take advantage of. Exercise instructors are also great resources to talk to if you're looking to accomplish specific goals because they may have some modifications you can do during the class to work on strengthening or improving endurance."

Download Apps

Fitness apps are a very popular way to monitor your progress toward goals and work out at home. There are apps for just about any type of workout regime you could imagine. If you're someone who likes to have an interactive and visual workout plan, an app might be the way to go.

"Apps are great because no matter what you're looking for, it probably exists," says Nicholas Mathews, CEO of Stillwater Behavioral Health. "Whether you want an app to keep you motivated by setting goals and timelines or you want to have a workout plan sent to your device each day, there are apps out there for you. There are even apps that function like a video game where you earn 'points' for each workout you do."

Take a Walk

If you're someone who really doesn't like to work out, this might be the easiest option for you. Take a walk around your neighborhood at lunch or between meetings to stretch your legs, say hello to your neighbors, and breathe some fresh air. A walk can be a lovely addition to your routine that can help you stay moving while working from home.

"If you're looking for an easy home workout because your job is remote, taking a walk is probably the first thing to try," says Colby Schmidt, Founder of Coursology. "If you have a dog, they'll probably be on board with this idea too. Try a few different routes throughout the week, so you don't get bored with the same path every day. As you walk more often, you may find yourself wanting to walk further and exercise even more!"

Clean and Do Yard Work

Kill two birds with one stone by deep cleaning or working on your yard. Cleaning and yard work burns a surprising amount of calories and can definitely get you moving. Knock some things off of your 'to-do' list between scheduled work activities and reap the benefits of moving and improving the state of your home.

"Create a task list for the week of some things you need to do around the house that will get you up and moving," says Morgan Rogers, Director of Marketing at Luna Grill. "If you're able to do these throughout the workday, you'll feel like you've accomplished a lot while also moving more and making your house look great at the same time!"

Find Accountability Buddies

If you struggle to stick to a plan or exercise regime, finding people to hold you accountable may be the secret ingredient you've been missing. Find some coworkers to be accountability buddies with and encourage each other to take a movement break at lunch each day, or find a friend in your local area who's also looking to be more active.

"Having someone check in with you to hold you to your own goals can be super helpful as you're trying to develop a new habit," says Monte Deere, CEO of Kizik who has perfected easy slip on shoes. "Getting into a new habit can take a month or longer, and committing is not the same as following through. Find someone to help you stick with it by checking in with each other and encouraging one another as you reach your milestones."

Explore New Activities

If you're bored with your current routine and want to find new ways to move and get some exercise throughout the day, it might be time to explore some new activities. Check out your local groups, gyms, and outdoor fitness options to see if there's anything that sounds interesting.

"Working from home means you probably have greater flexibility when it comes to workout time than people who work a traditional 8-5," says Max Ade, CEO of Pickleheads. "Biking, swimming, dancing, hiking, or even pickleball may be options you've never considered because it was too much of a time commitment when you worked a traditional job. Take advantage of your local area and flexibility and try something new!

Schedule Movement Breaks

You're in control of your schedule—schedule time to move! This might mean putting a 10-minute buffer after your hour-long meetings to get up, stretch your legs, and maybe do a 5-minute workout before you sit down to work on a project. Whatever it is, make sure you're prioritizing time to move.

"Get into the habit of blocking out time to move around," says Stephanie Venn-Watson, CEO of Fatty15. "Having a few breaks throughout the day where you can move around and get the blood pumping can help the day go by faster by breaking up the monotony and adding a bit more excitement to the day."

Buy Home Workout Equipment

Home workout equipment is something a lot of people are rediscovering the value of now that so many are working from home. Now, when we say home workout equipment, we're not talking about massive workout systems or even a treadmill. If you don't have a lot of space, some weights, elastic bands, and a yoga mat can open up a world of possibilities when it comes to workout options.

"There are some really simple pieces of home workout equipment that you can purchase to make working out more fun," says Asker A Ahmed, Director of iProcess Global Research. "A lot of people like the weighted hula hoop systems or trampolines, and there are even some smart workout equipment options that connect with your phone to track your movements. Whatever route you go, investing in a few pieces of home workout equipment to shake up your fitness routine and stay moving while working from home will be worth it."

Conclusion

Working from home is great, but it can be difficult to move enough. While you used to walk around the office and stop by the gym on the way home, you may have fallen out of your old routines and are struggling to gain the motivation to go work out somewhere else. Hopefully, these tips to stay moving while working from home have inspired you to consider some new ways to get into a routine of moving and exercising for your fitness and health while working from home.

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Staying Active While Working From Home. Pennmedicine.org. (2020, March 19). Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/heart-and-vascular-blog/2020/march/working-from-home