How to Stay Active While Working From Home

In this post, I’m sharing tips on how to stay active while working from home. You may be surprised to hear that it’s not a walk in the park after all.

When I underwent my career crisis years ago and started working from home, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that in 2020 the majority of workers in the United States would be mandated to work from home due to a pandemic. It was nothing that any of us would have ever imagined.

Many of my colleagues consider working from home a “dream.” After all, there’s no commute, you only have to “dress up” your upper body on most days, and there’s much autonomy to work from the couch or the patio, or the laundry room; although I definitely prefer working at my standing desk most of the time. 

But working from home is not without it’s drawbacks. It can lead to a decrease in socialization, blurred boundaries betweek work and family life, and perhaps one of the biggest for me personally was the dramatic change in my level of daily activity. It has taken some creativity and thinking outside the box to develop a fitness routine at home that keeps me active and healthy. 

30 Ways to Stay Active While Working From Home

Increasing your movement during the day doesn’t require setting aside time to do a full-body workout or go to the gym. There are many ways to stay active and get more steps and movement during the day while working from home. Here are some tips and tricks I’ve learned to stay active while working from home. These strategies have worked for me and others that I work with.

1. Schedule appointments to exercise.

2. Wear your workout clothes to work.

3. Set reminders to stand.

4. Develop a regular walking routine.

5. Get a pedometer or activity tracker.

6. Think in terms of movement, not exercise.

7. Keep workouts short and sweet.

8. Bookmark your favorite workouts.

9. Use apps for exercise inspiration.

10. Take online classes.

11. Create a space that encourages movement.

12. Stretch.

13. Try new activities.

14. Just dance! (Nobody’s watching)

15. Walk while you talk on the phone.

16. Create a dedicated home gym or workout area at home.

17. Stand up while reading.

18. Hang inspirational artwork.

19. Keep vital items in another room.

20. Post stick note reminders to move.

21. Try new workouts.

22. Do walking lunches with virtual co-workers.

23. Make activty a family affair.

24. Walk during meetings.

25. Start the day with activity.

26. Use reminder apps to stand, move, and stretch.

27. Fuel your body with a balanced breakfast.

28. Invest in a standing desk (read the description of my standing desk here).

29. Keep exercise equipment in the office.

30. Do dumbbell curls during virtual meetings.

Stay Active While Working From Home: Make it a Part of Your Lifestyle

Working from home requires a different approach than working outside of the home. Working from a home office may sound like the perfect arrangement, especially if you’re raising a family. However, the reality is that if you want to stay active while working from home, you will need to make changes in your workday and family’s routines.

Using these tips and others you may have thought of, create a routine that will support you being active throughout your workday and on days off, too. Get creative! Developing a healthy, active lifestyle looks different for everyone.