Working remotely can be the best gift possible for your health & wellness if approached properly. Let me explain...
If you're reading this, you're probably fortunate enough to have the flexibility to get paid to work from home. Without a round trip commute that eats up 1-2 hours of your day, your schedule can finally be yours.
Not once when I worked a 100% in-office job out of college did I take the time to take a morning walk to get some fresh air before work, hit the gym hard at 6:00 AM to set the tone for the day (I was too married to sleeping as late as possible), or cook a delicious healthy breakfast in between meetings.
It's really such a gift to be able to do any of the above now. Even if you aren't a morning person at all, not leveraging this extra time you have is such a missed opportunity.
Why integrate exercise into your remote work day?
I like to think of not having to go in-office or on site as a double edged sword. Sure, you control your schedule and spend more time in the comfort of your home. But you're also missing out on lots of fresh air if you're cooped up inside your WFH office all day, as well as unaccounted for movement (such as walking to your car or the train station), and maybe even the ease of hitting your physical office's gym.
Remote working means you have to make time for movement and intentional exercise a bit more consciously. It can prove hard to maintain wellbeing and perform your job responsibilities at a high level if there's no focus put into exercise during your WFH day-to-day. Over time, when paired with less face-to-face social interaction, neglecting this can have effects such as increased stress and anxiety, and impaired overall mood. You can probably relate if you felt any sort of impact from the Covid-19 pandemic.
How to balance our work schedule with exercise
My first recommendation would be to identify your preferred method of exercise, whether it be weight training, cardio, yoga, pilates, etc, and make a daily habit out of it. Five days a week might sound daunting if you aren't currently in a routine, so pick one form of exercise you feel comfortable with, instead of trying to juggle a bunch at once. If you don't regularly exercise at all, then maybe even try walking for 20-30 minutes a day.
Then, the question becomes "when do I have time to exercise?" Ask yourself if you're a morning or night person. If you don't know, try testing a morning exercise session before work one day and a late afternoon/evening exercise session another day and see which feels better. This may take a few tries, and I'd even encourage testing it if you feel confident you belong in one camp vs the other (I went from team night to team morning after about a month of trying out morning workouts).
Start by carving out an hour or less- if you're really in a time crunch, there are great ways to get exercise in from home such as virtual classes, exercise bikes or using weights/bands you own.
No matter which method or time of day you land on, schedule exercise as a dedicated time for yourself and make it a priority. Your brain and body will thank you, and it's a great way to take your mind off the day to come or the past day's work for a bit.
Weaving more movement into your day
Beyond your dedicated workout time, it's important to still move and get out of your home if possible.
I remember getting in my morning workout before a remote work day and still feeling sluggish by mid-day. This was because I had neglected any sort of movement since my workout and hadn't even left my apartment.
My favorite way to combat this now is integrating walking or jogging breaks into my day when possible. It helps the brain function so much better, and provides a way to physically escape from your computer for a bit. Mid day walks/jogs also make it easier to have momentum going into your next task, and allow yourself to think through complex problems or issues you're trying to tackle.
If you live in a colder climate or time doesn't allow for a walk or jog, there are even benefits to pacing around your room for a few minutes (as stupid as it sounds). Your body isn't meant to sit in a chair the entire day, and being fully sedentary for long periods of time is linked to many health complications. Another great way remote workers will avoid sitting all day is by using a standing desk- I can say from experience it helps reduce sluggishness when used at least in intervals.
I hope these tips & ideas helped spark some ways you can balance exercise and remote work! Would love to hear your favorite ways to get moving in your WFH day to day as well as any feedback in the comments.