Working from home is the new normal. Whereas we once had to commute to the office, enduring many horrible hours of public transport or traffic jams, many of us have switched to working from home. It’s probably the only silver lining of the whole pandemic!
If you’re working from home right now, you are probably rejoicing in your new lifestyle. Got a lockdown puppy? Tick. Enjoying a nice relaxing breakfast each day? Tick. Having a lie-in? Tick.
Why Is It Hard to be Active when Working From Home?
Unfortunately, working from home is not all a bed of roses. Plenty of people find they work even harder when at home, fearful of being seen as less productive. It’s also hard to switch off when your boss is constantly asking you to join Zoom chats.
Here are some tips to help you increase your activity levels if you are struggling to find the time to exercise.
Adopt a Dog!
The great thing about working from home is that it gels nicely with being a pet parent. Dogs are much happier when we are at home with them. They love our company and can get really depressed when left alone.
Adopting a dog will ensure you are more active than normal. You’ll need to take your new dog for regular walks, which is an excellent excuse to leave the house intervals during the day. Younger dogs also love to play, so if you are feeling stressed, pop into the garden and throw a tennis ball around for 10 minutes.
Exercise Before Work
Now that you have extra time in your day, schedule in some exercise sessions. Do a YouTube workout before work or go for a run in the park.
You don’t need to worry about sitting around in smelly exercise gear when you work from home. Have a shower, get dressed, and be sitting at your desk in plenty of time.
Make Time for a Lunchtime Walk
It is really important to take regular breaks when working from home. Many people find they work through their lunch hour because they are under pressure to get more done. Be strict with yourself.
Have a regular lunch break and make sure all your colleagues know when you finish for lunch. Staying chained to your desk isn’t good for your health.
Buy Some Cool Activity Gadgets
Being active is more fun when you have stuff to play with. Buy a home gym and set it up in the spare room, so you have no excuses when the local gym closes due to lockdown restrictions.
Buy some fun kit for the backyard, like a baseball batting cage. The easier and more fun you make being active, the more likely you are to leave your desk.
Invest in an Activity Tracker
Activity trackers are a very useful tool. Buy a Fitbit or similar to measure your activity levels during the day.
Try and do 10,000 steps each day, as this equates to around 4.5 miles of walking. If your tracker has a social element, connect with your friends, so you can encourage each other to be more active.
Set a Timer
Have a timer on your desk to remind you to get up and walk around at least once an hour. This should stop you from being sucked into a rabbit hole of endless emails and Zoom calls. The less time you spend sitting at your desk, the better. Experts recommend being active for 10 minutes every half an hour. See if you can hit that target.
If you struggle to be as active as you’d like, invest in a standing desk. It is healthier than slumping in a chair all day long.
