It’s taken me years of working from home to create a from home exercise routine that suits my body and schedule.
There’s been a lot of trial and error in the process too!
I often find balancing time management and the nagging voice in my head to get up and be active a bit of a struggle.
Some days exercising is easy, sometimes a lot harder.
However you’re feeling, here are the best work from home exercise ideas I’ve come up with in the past number of years graded by intensity level.
Light Intensity Exercise Ideas
Here are a few work from home exercise ideas that don’t take too much time and can be done at a leisurely pace:
Deskrobics
🕒 – 10 minute intervals
Working from home we can spend a lot of time sedentary which can lead to unwanted strains and niggles.
Integrating desk aerobics into your day is a brilliant way to keep your body from tightening up.
You can almost blend this one into your day whilst you work so that you get the benefit of some exercise without really feeling like it.
Lunchtime Walk
🕒 – 30 minutes
The one thing I’ve learned from working from home, is the importance of taking time away from your computer.
If you can get outside, even better.
When I take a walk on my lunchtime or before work I find that I’m a lot more energized when I come back to work.
Combining your stroll with an errand like sending a letter or getting something for lunch is a useful mechanism when you’re lacking a bit of motivation.
Buy A Standing Desk
🕒 – hour long intervals
A standing desk or an adjustable one that enables you to stand whilst typing or taking video conferencing calls is the number one way to get exercise in without really feeling like you’re exercising!
You burn 70-95 calories per hour standing v 65-85 sitting according to Healthline – not a huge difference, but it will add up over time.
Additional benefits include better blood flow and increased mobility.
Psychologically I find that when I stand to do some work it also reframes my working environment and gives me a boost of energy.
Moderate Intensity Exercise
If you’re looking to crank things up a notch or burn a few more calories consider these exercises:
Morning Stretching
🕒 – 20 minutes
I do this every morning as I find my back and neck tend to stiffen up as the day goes on if I don’t.
Nothing too crazy just some light stretching to get the blood flowing.
I had to be consistent with this to notice any benefits. It took a few months of trial and error to get to the best stretches.
Everyone’s body is different, but here are my favorite stretches for working from home:
Yoga
🕒 – 30 minutes
I also had a period where I did yoga regularly, my morning stretches suffice now, but I noticed quicker results in alleviation of tension and ever better balance when I did yoga.
There are some great YouTubers that offer sessions completely for free, at different levels of difficulty.
They often involve breathing exercises too, which really help you to relax and untangle your mind at the end of a busy work day.
Dance
🕒 – 20 minutes
If stretching isn’t for you, or you’re feeling a bit more energetic, dancing around your living room/bedroom/office etc can be a bit more on the fun side!
I tried this, admittedly not for long. The one thing I noticed is that back pain got a bit better from the increased blood flow and also my mood was so good afterwards.
To be clear, we’re not really talking about slow dancing here – so put the waltz away. To get the most out of it, high energy, limbs flailing around works best!
High Intensity Exercise
🕒 – Varies (6-10 week programme)
Couch To 5k
I have a few friends and family that did Couch To 5k at the start of the pandemic.
As a testament to its success, they are now religious Parkrun goers!
It starts by gradually building up your stamina over a period of 6-10 weeks until you’re ready to run a 5k
It’s a fantastic way to take a gradual approach to running that you can integrate into your wfh routine in a fun and engaging way, with milestones making you feel a sense of achievement every week.
Find a schedule based upon your weekly target
Or download the Couch to 5k app to get you started:
Lifting Weights
🕒 – 1 hour
I lift weights a couple of times a week as I enjoy the progressive nature of it, challenging myself a bit more each time.
The benefits of weight lifting related to heart health, flexibility and decreased risk of injury are a few things I’m looking to focus on as I approach 40.
I do find it hard work and it can be mentally tough at times, but you can easily set up a bench and weights in most spaces, making it an efficent work from home exercise to incorporate.
HIIT Workout
🕒 – 30 minutes
If you’re looking to burn a lot of calories in a short space of time (your break or lunchtime for example) HIIT workouts can provide a handy way to integrate intense exercise with big results from home.
The best part is HIIT requires minimum equipment making it easy to do from home.
There’s lots of great free sessions you can work your way through on Youtube too.
Just make sure you have plenty of space for your rapidly moving limbs to operate in!
Work From Home Exercise Breaks
Work from home exercise is also about the small elements that make up your day.
Things like setting reminders to move on your fitness device or phone are invaluable to keep you active throughout the day.
Every toilet break I like to wander around the house to get a few steps in and I’ve made a habit of doing some stretches in that time too.
When you take lunch, make sure you spend it away from your desk if you can.
Exercise should also be about improvement of mental wellbeing.
Try to move about and vary up your environment in the process to get the best of both worlds.
Work From Home Exercise Routine
Once you’ve found the activities you enjoy, try to build them into a consistent routine so that they become habitual and second nature.
It takes roughly 66 days to form a habit. Once it’s ingrained in your psyche, it’ll be a breeze to get through your work from home exercise routine.
Moreover, try to build good ergonomics into your daily routine, focusing on your posture and work from home setup.
Investing in ergonomics is the best way to keep your body comfortable and prevent the likelihood of injury when exercising.
Conclusion
As mentioned, trial and error will get you to a routine that works for you.
Try to stay consistent and the results will come.
James Waite
Founder of Remoteopia, James has worked in remote roles for 6 years. After a stint in recruitment, he now works as a director of website strategy in tech.
