The concept of work from home came amidst the pandemic but more businesses than ever before have adopted this style as a more permanent solution for their employees and businesses to adapt flexibility in working.

Though the benefits of working from home far outweigh any downsides, one of the negative repercussions is the reduction in movement and physical activity for employees making you overweight.

Here are 6 work from home exercises and ideas that help you stay active during your workday.

i) Start your day with a walk

Starting your day with a walk to achieve your 10,000 steps is a great way to boost your energy first thing in the morning and start your day by accomplishing one of the staples of health, fitness, and exercise. Depending on your schedule, you could also break it up and take smaller walks before, during, and after your work to stay physically active and really get your blood pumping and brain firing.

ii) Stand during video and phone calls

Sitting in a chair for eight hours straight is horrible for your back and posture, especially when you’re sitting at a kitchen table or on the couch. One of the best ways to avoid sitting all day is to take meetings standing up. Investing in a standing desk or finding somewhere to properly prop up your computer can help you get up out of your chair and boost your concentration and focus.

iii) Turn your office equipment into push up equipment

All you need is something stable to be able to do push up exercises such as:

Tricep dips: keep your arms bent at a 90-degree angle on your chair while pushing up and down.

Desk push ups: place your hands on your desk in a push up position and push up and down.

Wall push ups: place your hands in push up position on the wall and push back and forth.

You will need to keep your legs at an angle and your entire body in a straight line for best positioning and results.

iv) Set a time or calendar alert to get you moving

Block your calendar in your phone or computer and set a one-minute reminder every hour to get up and move. Spend the time by running in place, jumping jacks, a walk around the house, or anything to get you out of your chair and to get a boost of cardio. Don’t let your minute go to waste. Not only will you stop relying on your alerts to get you up and moving around, but it’ll also start becoming a part of your work routine.

v) Build squats into your regimen to improve your sitting posture

There are numerous benefits to prioritizing squats in your home workout routine. For one, they can help you sit better and more upright. The squat movements repeated over and over again can strengthen your quadriceps, hamstrings, and more, and are perfect to fit in a few between meetings and calls. When you’re done with your video or phone call, do 10 chair squats before sitting again. 

vi) Take your sitting to the wall

In a moment of stress or when you’re feeling down, head over to the wall, place your back against it, and lower yourself into a chair position, with your legs in a 90-degree angle and hold for as long as you can. Either meditate on your own or turn on a guided meditation and watch as your stress fades away, while you focus on remaining in this position for as long as you can.