Remembering to exercise when working from home can be difficult. Because of the pandemic and other factors like technological advancements, most employers are allowing their employees to work from the comfort of their homes. While working from home comes with several benefits, including no commute, avoiding furry coworkers, and more, it has a few setbacks.
Most remote work requires a person to sit at the computer, which means you can stay on your couch for a long time and forget to walk around. While working from your home, it’s crucial to ensure both your mental and physical health remains active. The best way to protect your health at home is through exercising. A work-from-home exercise routine can help enhance your social life, boost brain function, and help you break up that monotony that comes with working from home.
Simple Work From Home Exercises to Help You Stay Active
Though exercising can help you stay fit and active if you work from home, scheduling a workout routine and sticking to it can be challenging. But it’s essential to include exercising in your daily life and stick to it if you want to reap the most. Whether jogging in the evening or doing pushups in the morning, including a workout plan in your daily planner is a great way to stay fit and active.
1. Shoulder Blade Pinches
Shoulder blade pinches are a great workout you can do while sitting at your office desk or lying prone over an exercise ball. To do this exercise:
Push your shoulders slowly backward until you fill their blades touch each other. Maintain that position for approximately 30 seconds and then release.
Repeat the exercise 10-15 times before you take a rest.
If you want to be sure you’re doing the exercise right, hold a pen between your blades and maintain it there for 30 seconds before you finally start to release slowly.
2. Stretching in the morning
Start your workday by performing a few stretches. Stretching will give your muscles and joints some movement and keep your body fit and active throughout the day. This exercise will also help relieve aches and pains from sitting in one spot for an extended period.
3. Chest Opener
This exercise is helpful in opening and stretching your chest. It can help you stand and maintain a straighter position for a long time. Stand straight and ensure your feet are hip-width apart to execute this exercise.
Place your hands behind and interlock your fingers while ensuring the palms press together. Keep your spine, head, and neck in one position while gazing straight in front. Inhale while lifting your chest upwards and bringing your hands downwards. Hold the position for at least 12 seconds before you release.
4. Curl-up
Curl-up or new crunch will exercise your rectus abdominis and obliques. To perform this exercise accordingly, lie down with your back touching the ground while feet flat, knees bent. Press the lower back into the flooring surface and interlock your fingers behind your head.
Exhale strongly and carefully pull the navel inward and upward toward the spine. Curl the shoulders and head slowly off the ground. Maintain the position for 10-15 seconds before lowering back down.
5. Doing Chores
Chores like vacuuming the floor, scrubbing your bathtub, and others, are great ways to exercise. Taking a break from your workstation at home and doing chores is an excellent way to move around and engage your body and mind in other activities at home.
6. A Dance Party
Exercising is not all about executing professional workout techniques and structured routines. You can also perform a solo dance in the morning to add energy and positivity to the day. Play one of your favorite upbeat songs in the morning, and dance for a few minutes before sitting at your desk to start work. Dancing is an excellent way to make your blood pump effective in your body to help you stay active during the day.
7. Couples Yoga
If your spouse also works at home or spends the day at home, yoga poses are ideal for a twosome, and you can do it with your partner. Couples’ yoga poses will not only improve your mental and physical health, but it’s also an excellent way to connect and bond with your partner. Yoga will help relieve anxiety and stress and ease back pain from sitting in one spot for a very long time without changing position.
8. Meditating with an App
While most people consider meditation not a form of workout, it’s a great way to prepare your body for an activity or exercise. Meditation is a great mood booster and will improve your mental fitness. Other benefits of meditating at home include being mindful throughout the day and hence less prone to injuries common with working from home.
9. Playing With Your Pet
If you have a furry friend, try to get out and play with it in your garden or backyard. Running with your dog while playing with it at home will keep you panting and help improve your physical and mental health. While you’ll be having fun with your pet, your body will be moving.
10. Jogging
Jogging around a park or in the neighborhood is a top-notch post-work run. Make it a habit to jog for approximately 30 minutes in the evening or after work. The beauty of this workout is that it requires zero equipment, not to mention it exercises your entire body.
Set Realistic Work-From-Home Exercise Goals
Developing a work-from-home workout routine that works can be intricate. It’s essential to experiment with one or more of these exercise techniques until you can find the one that balances your day-to-day activities.
The best exercise plan to execute at home is the one you find fun, enjoyable, and easy to perform daily. If you find yourself skipping an exercise plan several times because of being involved at your workstation, go through your work calendar and see what is preventing you from exercising.
Other Ways to Stay Fit and Active While Working From Home
Exercising is not the only thing that will help you achieve a healthy lifestyle at home. Ensure to incorporate a healthy diet routine that includes fruits and foods rich in proteins to help you gain more energy you require to tackle the day or improve your mental and physical state. In addition to exercising and having a healthy diet plan, you should stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
