How to Incorporate Fitness Into Your Work-From-Home Routine
In our modern world of fast-paced work life, it can be hard to prioritize fitness. Working from home, as many of us now do, has added an extra bit of difficulty to the work/life balance. We spend more time at home than ever, so naturally, it is hard to prioritize working out after a long day at your job when you could just sit on the couch or veg out. But fitness and exercise not only help us look good but also make us feel good too. While it may seem difficult to find the time to work out, it’s incredibly important to keep us happy and healthy. Want to make sure you can stay fit while working from home? Here are a few tips on how to incorporate fitness into your work-from-home routine!
Start Small
The only thing worse than working out when you’re out of shape is working yourself too hard too fast. If you’re a novice to an at-home exercise routine, start small (and make sure to consult your doctor as well)! Keep things simple at first so you can build stamina and fit your fitness into your routine until it comes naturally. Working from home is just as exhausting as working at the office or job location, so keep this in mind: Baby steps are essential. In the beginning, keep your exercise to small doses you can handle. Whether it’s 10 minutes a day or once an hour, the more you get up and move, the better you’ll feel. For example, try stretching after lunch to keep your body feeling limber on long days at a desk or in front of the computer. Do a couple of jumping jacks or run in place for five minutes between assignments. The great thing about working from home is knowing you can wear whatever you want to stay comfortable all day. Make it easy for yourself by wearing women’s activewear at your home desk. This will have you ready to move on your breaks or downtimes. It’s a lot easier to wrap your head around working out when you’re already set to go with your outfit!
Switch It Up—Make Your Home Your Gym
Spending a lot of time at home can make you feel a little stir crazy, but by moving your location frequently or working out in a different room, you can keep things fresh and fun. Assign a different aerobic activity to each room! Maybe you’ll start with lunges in your living room, high kicks in the kitchen, or backyard burpees. No matter what you decide, the change of scenery within your own home will help your brain keep up with your body and stay moving. Variety is key. You can use things already in your home to transform them into your personal gym. Go up and down the stairs a few times and voila, your very own stair master. Use your built-in walls to make space for wall sits or standing push-ups!
Want to take it even further? Look into stationary bikes, treadmills, or other gym equipment that could fit nicely into your space. Weights, yoga mats, and exercise balls are all relatively cheap items that can help take your at-home exercise to the next level. You might even already have things around the house, as jump ropes, stools, or rugs can all become workout stations. Set yourself up for success and it’ll help the transition into exercise being a standard part of your routine!
Take Online or YouTube Courses
A great benefit of the internet age is having access to all kinds of different information right at your fingertips. Exercise tips are no exception. You’re at home in your comfy clothes already, so why not actually follow through on some exercise! Everything you need to master a new fitness skill is available on the internet. You can find many types of virtual exercise classes and programs without having to leave the comfort of your own space. Yoga, Pilates, and calisthenics are all easily accessible through online classes. Want to save your money? Hit YouTube or other video-sharing applications for free and easy programs. You can learn nearly anything by watching step-by-step videos online, and a few weeks of repetition will help take your fitness to the next level. Wouldn’t your workday feel better if each day started with yoga or a grounding exercise? It’s a fun and simple way to put your body and mind in the right space to take on the workday! After a few days or weeks of this pattern, you will feel the difference, and your body will thank you.
Have Fun With It
A great way to work yourself up for an intense presentation or work meeting is to literally work out. Choose simple activities that get your heart rate up while nourishing your mind with some fun! Do something fun and easy like having a dance party to one of your favorite upbeat albums. Take it one song at a time—it’s an easy measurement to remember and a great way to get a quick burst of exercise in just a few minutes. You can also make exercise into a game the whole family can participate in. Freeze dance, outdoor furniture musical chairs, or dance-offs with the kids will make your exercise time fly by while keeping things fun and light. You could even teach them some old-school dance moves from your own childhood. The Hustle, Macarena, and Electric Slide are great examples of dances you can do right at home to stay moving. Whoever said exercise had to be boring or not enjoyable? Make it a fun bonding experience for the whole family.
Building up your work-from-home exercise routine is all about practice. The more work you put in, the more you’ll get out. Don’t expect too much too soon. Start small, hit the web, and prioritize fun to take your at-home workday from drab to fab!