With the ongoing pandemic, working from home has become the norm for most people. While the comfort is something everyone's been looking forward to, the complacency that follows a monotonous at-home routine isn't as exciting. People tend to get lax with their fitness regimens when they're stuck at home or in lockdown.
Well, whether you're working at home temporarily or permanently, maintaining fitness is still important. It can be hard to set a routine at home without procrastinating on self-care, but we'll tackle the issue head-on in this article. So, here's how to stay fit and active while working at home.
Maintain your routine
Getting out of bed and start work in your sleepwear is relaxing. Well, at least for the first three days. Gradually, the lack of routine leaves people feeling lazy and uncreative.
While working at home has its specific comforts, it's crucial to maintain a schedule as much as possible. If you prefer early morning exercise regimens, keep them up. If you're more of an evening person, be sure to log off from your devices and go out for an evening jog.
Maintain boundaries
The lack of commutes to and from the workplace means that you'll start working odd hours in the day. To make sure you get your essential mental break, follow a regular work schedule as much as possible. Let other co-workers know the timeline during which you'll be available, and stick to it.
Put in the effort to stay present during your work shift. That means no binging shows, running errands, or doing random chores in the process. And once you're off from work, set everything aside and start focusing on the exercises and fitness training you've been avoiding.
Prioritize what's important
It's quite easy to lose track of time when you're stuck at home all day. If there's an errand or regimen that's a priority, like exercising, grocery shopping, or a work conference, add it to your schedule. Writing down what you've already finished and allotting some time can help free up space for more fitness and activity training.
Eat good meals
When you're working from home, you tend to skip out on meals during the process. A lot of workers binge on snacks since they're easy to eat while working. This isn't good for your health and fitness in the long run since you're eating junk without any set mealtimes.
Rather than sitting in front of the computer and binge eating, take a break from work and prioritize mealtime. Healthy meals don't need to be complex—choose some quick and filling meals such as avocado on toast, fruit smoothies, whole grains, or cooked eggs.
Mental and physical health are connected
Regular workouts, good nutrition, and proper sleep are essential for staying active and fit. However, without maintaining interactions with friends, family, and co-workers, your mental health will be affected. This can make you feel isolated when working at home, making you less enthusiastic about working out and staying fit.
To avoid this, be sure to schedule some online phone or video call time with people. Make new traditions like R&R hours or life catchups to keep in touch with everyone. If you feel your stress or depression building up, try some meditation or use mental health apps. You can even schedule online appointments with mental health specialists. If your mind is healthy, physical fitness will follow.
Take time for a walk or a jog
Even if you're working at home, that doesn't mean you have to lock yourself in completely. Allot some time for daily outside activity, even if you're not physically active most of the time. Some fresh air and a routine change are good for your health.
Schedule 30 minutes of moderate walking or jog every day or every other day if you're less active.
Join a fitness class
You're not the only ones working from home. Many gyms and fitness centers have now shifted to online video and audio classes to accommodate people working from home. You can join these classes and set a schedule that works for you.
If you can't afford it, there are a ton of free online resources as well. You can find fitness tutorials and specific exercises on YouTube and other online websites. You can even find fitness streamers and work out with them in real-time. The best thing about this is you can stay fit inside your home without having to go out at all.
Practice standing during work
Who says you can't fit in a workout during your job? Just because you're working from home doesn't mean you have to get lazy. A study showed that standing burns a lot more calories than sitting. Sit-stand tables allow you to sit for a portion of the work and then stand for the remaining time. This keeps you moving throughout your job, so you don't need extra time for exercises every day.
Use an exercise chair
An exercise ball is one way of mixing your work and exercise schedules. It allows you to work out your core by staying upright to counteract the chair's natural motion. You can improve your fitness even more by finding some exercises to do on the ball as you finish your work.
Fit in a mini-workout
If your schedule is too jam-packed for 30 minutes of outdoor activity, don't worry. Studies show that daily activity for even 10 minutes a day helps improve heart health and stay active. All you need is to add in some simple exercises like running up and down the stairs or doing some jumping jacks, and you're good to go.
All said and done working at home can be an unusual process for many, but so long as you set a proper schedule and get into the habit of things, you can stay fit and active without hassle. Just make time for your self-care, and this will help you stay on track both mentally and physically..
References:
Differences in energy expenditure while sitting versus standing
