Do you work from home? As the pandemic restrictions continue to loosen, more and more companies are switching back to working onsite. However, there are still a few workplaces who allow their employees to stick to a remote or hybrid setup. Working from home lets employees save money that they’d otherwise spend on gasoline or commuting fees. On the other hand, commuting helps your body stay active everyday. Working remotely might lead to a sedentary life if you’re not careful. Here are a few home fitness tips to keep yourself in good shape.
Keep track of your diet.
When it comes to staying fit, a proper diet is half the battle. You must make sure that you’re giving yourself the right kind of fuel throughout the day – after all, cheap fuel might just damage the tank in the long run.
One of our previous articles talked about how you can pack safe and healthy lunch boxes for working in an office. If you’re working at home, though, you have everything at your disposal. Without having to worry about food spoilage, you’ll be able to make anything you want for your lunch. This means you have a lot more options for eating healthy, such as fresh salads. Fruits and vegetables are great brain food to keep yourself productive throughout your work day, while lean proteins can help you build more muscle as you exercise.
Create a morning routine.
It’s tempting to wake up five minutes before you have to clock in, especially if it means getting a few extra minutes of sleep. But starting your day like that can tank your productivity. After all, your body would still be half-asleep for the first few minutes, making it hard to concentrate. This might snowball later, even once you’re fully awake; the next thing you know, you’re clocking out of work without having done anything productive at all.
The solution? Create a morning routine, just like how onsite workers would get ready for their day. Wake up an hour or two before your shift, eat something healthy, and make a cup of tea or coffee. The hour before your shift is a great time to sneak in some stretches and a quick exercise routine, which can wake your body up and help you work more comfortably later on.
Take short breaks.
Have you ever heard of the pomodoro technique? It’s a time management strategy that divides work and rest into alternating, timed intervals. The most common variation is to work for 25 minutes, then stop for a break for 5 minutes before going back to work. Others may adjust it to be longer, with 50-minute work sessions and 10 minute breaks. You then take a longer break of around 15-20 minutes after you’ve completed four pomodoro cycles.
Adapting the pomodoro technique can prevent you from staying stuck on your chair for hours on end. You can start by completing your first 25 minutes of work. Once your timer rings and your break begins, stand up and do some stretches. You can do a few reps of push-ups or jumping jacks, or do a quick run up and down a flight of stairs. Those small moments add up, and if you spend every other break time exercising, you’ll have done 40 minutes of exercise in one day! You can adjust your pomodoro as you please, but you’ll still end up with plenty of exercise no matter how you do it, even during a busy workday.
Look for ergonomic equipment.
Working from home means you’ll have to set up your workspace from scratch. On the bright side, this is a great opportunity to create an ergonomic work setup. Ergonomics focuses on arranging your working environment in a way that allows you to be as comfortable and efficient as you can.
If you want to be ergonomic and active at the same time, buy a standing desk with wheels. A standing desk can help you avoid the dangerous side-effects of sitting for too long, such as increased blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and an increase in cardiovascular disease. Standing can also strengthen your leg muscles, even more so if you buy a rolling table so you can walk around your house as you work. Of course, being able to sit at times is just as important, so you can also look for a table with an adjustable height so it can suit all of your needs.