How to Turn a Home Office Into a Gym for Work
Do you prefer to gradually exercise during your work day rather than going to the gym? Or maybe you just want to start breaking the monotony with healthier habits? Here’s how to turn your office (or the corner where you work) into a place where you can study as well.
Don’t sit all day
A good chair is a smart investment, but you don’t need to sit in the same chair all day, no matter how good it is. Any of these options will help you move forward:
- Use a yoga ball instead of a chair
- Set up a standing table
- If you’re doing too well, set up a treadmill table or bike workstation .
- Buy a footrest or other accessories so you can change your position on the chair.
- Move from place to place throughout the day
You can also assign different parameters for different tasks. You may be standing in all of your large gatherings, but you do most of your work at the table. Or maybe you bounce on a yoga ball for some tasks and sit on the couch for others. If you only have audio calls, why not take them while you walk?
Stock up on healthy snacks
If you’ve accepted the idea that we shouldn’t eat at our table , chances are you are doing it anyway, but you feel bad about it. If you feel the need for a snack during the day, work with that interest, not against it.
Set up a spot on or near your desk to hide healthy snacks – perhaps nuts or even a bowl of fresh fruit. Or, if you’d rather grab yogurt or carrots and put them in the refrigerator, find a place on the table where you can put them and a napkin on hand.
If you don’t like having snacks in sight, I’ve found it best to place them behind my laptop so that the screen obstructs my view, but they’re still within reach when I’m hungry.
Dress for success
Workwear and sportswear are not necessarily the same thing. But if you’re going to do some quick workouts throughout the day, you probably won’t want to change every time.
I recommend the half-and-half approach. From the waist down, wear whatever is comfortable for you. Leggings, shorts, and sweatpants are all classic options. Then put on something presentable on top. If you’re lucky, you work in a place where no one cares what you’re wearing. But if not, keep a blazer or cute top near your desk and wear it before meeting.
Plan right
Now is the time to decide whether you will stay active in your home office instead of or in addition to other workouts throughout the day. Make sure you approach it with a plan, especially if it’s the first.
You can create a checklist or spreadsheet for yourself (or use a habit tracking app ) to make sure you are doing the planned exercises. I go for a walk, for example, every morning and at lunchtime. You can set yourself a target number of squats or push-ups each day and change exercises each day if you want. Just think about what your week (and year and month) as a whole will look like if you follow the plan. Remember, consistency matters more than any small details .