How to stay active while working from home

More people than ever before began working from home when the coronavirus pandemic introduced social distancing requirements for many workplaces. 

It looks like remote working or at least hybrid working will now continue to be a feature of our employment landscape in the years ahead.

While many of us loved working from home, others found it difficult. 

The dream aspects often include:

• The lack of commute
• The relaxed hours
• The possibility of staying in your pyjamas all-day
• The luxury of taking calls from the couch or garden

But these have to be considered alongside common challenges such as:

• Communicating during virtual meetings
• The absence of collaboration and interaction with colleagues 
• Cramped and unsuitable workspaces at home
• The inevitable interruptions from family
• The sedentary life that can result when work has taken over your domestic space

We’ve put together some ideas on how to stay fit at home when you are working remotely. These tips will help you work out while working and help you make the most out of all that extra time that not having to commute can give you.

How to work out from home when homeworking 

Tip #1: Be prepared

The best way to ensure you start working out at home on the days you are not going into the office is to get yourself kitted out so that everything is there when you need it.

Think about any equipment you may need and visit a men’s sports clothing store or a women’s fitness clothing specialist to stock up on any gear you may require.

Tip #2: Put it in the diary

When you plan a routine, you are more likely to make sure you fit regular exercise into your day. Whether it’s an early morning workout with weights to wake yourself up, or an after-work jog around the local park, having set times for exercise ensures it doesn’t get overlooked.

Tip #3: Make it a habit

Habits and rituals can help you adapt your exercise times around your routine of working from home. 

Keep to a consistent wake-up time and try to have a clear time that your workday ends too. Make sure you also have defined break times for relaxing or exercising. 

It can be helpful to set aside space at home or in the garden for exercising during your breaks. Alternatively, you could leave hand weights, resistance bands, exercise mats and push-up bars so that they are effective in your way. This acts as a great reminder to use them every time you take a break. 

In just a few minutes you can do some reps with your weights, practice a few quick push-ups or leg lifts and work your muscles with a resistance band or two. However, if you want to get away from home and enjoy a change of scene, you can plan a few half-hour walks or runs that are ready to tackle. The easiest you make it to just head out and exercise, the more often you will find yourself doing it.

Tip #4: Little and often

Being sedentary for long periods is not good for your health. Sitting at a desk continually puts you at increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.

To avoid this, you can set a timer that goes off every hour to remind you to get up and move around for a few minutes. You don’t need to take long breaks, just take a quick stroll or do a few jumping jacks and you will get your heart pumping and give yourself an energy boost.

Tip #5: Be inventive

You don’t have to own fancy gym equipment at home to keep fit when remote working. 

Sit-ups, push-ups or yoga can be done without an expensive kit and walking or running require little more investment than a quality pair of running shoes, t-shirt and shorts.

You don’t even have to leave your desk to exercise at home. Here are some simple exercises to release tension and get your blood flowing that you can do for five minutes while sitting at your desk:

• Shoulder rolls
• Head turns and tilts
• Arm swings and circles
• Calf raises
• Torso twists
• Leg swings and lifts

Tip #6: Get motivated with an online class

Online classes are a convenient way to motivate yourself to exercise when you are working remotely. 

Most online fitness class memberships allow you to pay monthly for access to a number of videos and other health-related content. It’s also possible to join live classes in real-time if this will encourage you to stick to your plan.

Tip #7: Call-time is walk time

Our last tip is simple but effective.

Combining a long phone call with a walk is the perfect way to fit in exercise with your work from home.

Moving is great for both thinking and relaxing. We tend to think better when our blood is coursing through our veins and our lymph bands engage when we exercise which helps us to relax. 

That’s why taking a conference call, or a one-to-one call that you know will go on for a while, is best done while outside taking a gentle walk.

Go on, try it.