7 ways to stay active when working remotely
Without the twice daily commute, that means getting dressed and leaving the house, it can be hard to stay active when working remotely or from home.
As much as I am a big believer in flexible working, there is something I miss from the structure of the old way of going to the office every day. Not least the fact that it means we at least move further than just from the bedroom to our kitchen table each day.
If you do all your Zoom calls in your pyjamas and you can’t remember when you last washed your hair, here are a few tips to help you stay active when working remotely.
The best ways to stay active when working remotely
Go to a coworking space
As the founder of Coworking Corner, this was obviously going to be top of my list. The benefit of small local coworking spaces, means you can walk to work and get the positive vibes of working with others, without actually commuting far.
Coworking Corner has only 10 desks and the majority of people who use the space either live in Matlock, where it is based, or in a nearby village.
I love my morning walk up the hill to Corner and my walk back home. Often a few short walks in the middle of the day too, mainly because of Peak District Cookie and her love of stomps!
See where your closest coworking space is and add some routine back into your day.
Use a standup desk #ad
Sitting at your desk all day, is not good for our backs and a stand up desk offers the chance to stand up straight during a zoom meeting. You even burn more calories!
I was gifted a standup desk from Flexispot and love it! The best bit is the desk I have is automated so you can move it up or down with the push of a button. It is the easiest thing to do and great to be able to mix your day up with standing and sitting down.
It came in a box and was pretty easy to put together too. I love the flexibility of switching from standing to sitting in seconds.
At Flexispot you can choose the colour of your base and the colour of the top of your desk and also the size so you can make sure you get the right desk for you.
They’ve even currently got a 30% discount off the premium standing desk I have.
Benefits of using a standup desk include; reducing back pain, losing weight, improved mood and energy levels and it can boost your productivity. What’s not to love?!
Let me know if you get a stand up desk and the benefits you find.
Go for a daily walk
This one might seem obvious, but scheduling in a daily walk to your day can do wonders for your mental health and productivity.
I honestly feel so much better when I’ve made time to get outdoors, whatever the weather.
It is even good for our eyes. With constant screen time we are slowly losing our peripheral vision and walks and looking out at the big wide world around us can help this.
If it’s more productivity you need, then here are my tips for staying productive when working from home.
Head for an early morning wild swim
OK, so this one isn’t for the faint hearted. I can’t say I do this every day, but I do love a day that starts with a bit of wild swimming.
If you don’t fancy a dip in a river or lake, then perhaps there is a lido nearby, like the New Bath Lido down the road from me.
It’s refreshing, revitalising and is sure to start your day off with a feeling of accomplishment.
Make the most of your lunch break
Working from home is a good opportunity to make the most of your lunch break.
You could book in a weekly exercise class and be back at your desk within the hour. I mean who needs to shower after when there are only video calls to deal with. Nobody can smell you through a screen!
Alternatively, you could walk to meet a friend for lunch or a coffee to ensure you actually make it out the house for some fresh air.
Have a walking meeting
Though the walking meeting I did last week involved falling on my ass on the ice, I still recommend having walking meetings wherever possible.
They could be on the phone or in person, depending if the people you are meeting live close by or not. I find walking and talking often leads to more creative discussions.
It can also be a good time to bring up tricky subjects as walking side by side means you’re not actually looking at each other which can make things easier.
Use the pomodoro technique
I love the pomodoro technique and have talked about it as an excellent productivity tool on this blog and over on my Instagram.
It is my go-to for focused work. Just 25 minutes of focus feels totally manageable and then it’s a 5 minute break which always encourages me to get off my bum (or move away from my desk if I am at the stand up one) and stretch my legs for a couple of minutes… any maybe make a cup of tea!
What do you do to stay active when working remotely or from home?
This post was in partnership with Flexispot who gifted me one of their Standing desk premium E7 series. All opinions of the desk are 100% true and my own.
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