Tips for Staying Active with a Sedentary Job

For many, working from home is the dream. But those who do it note it comes with a few significant drawbacks. For one, it’s all too easy to let your suddenly sedentary lifestyle get the best of you, making you lethargic, uninspired, or downright inactive.

Combatting this takes a lot of effort, but once you get into the swing of things, it does get easier. Here are some tips for staying active while working a sedentary job.

Take Your Breaks Outside

By now, you’re probably aware that you should take regular breaks when you work from home. They’ll help you focus and prevent you from getting burned out. But taking a break involves more than checking Facebook. Instead of remaining at your desk, take your break outside. The fresh air is invigorating, and exposure to sunlight might ward off that growing strain of vampirism.

This suggestion is great for lots of reasons. Writer’s block got you down? Take a walk! Stressed and frustrated by the day’s activities? Enjoy a cup of tea in the back garden. Whatever you have to do to get yourself away from that computer chair.

Schedule Exercise as Part of Your Work Day

There’s more to working from home than making money. If you’re only concerned about the bottom line, you’ll fatigue yourself pretty quickly. At the same time, it’s difficult to resist the temptation to keep working, even at the expense of your own health.

To counter this, try scheduling fifteen to thirty minutes of exercise into your work day. If you typically work eight hours, one work out session near the beginning of the day will keep your mind sharp and your body happy. If you work for more than eight hours, try to squeeze another work out in there.

Enjoy Healthy Snacks

One of the quickest routes to inactivity is eating unhealthy food that bogs you down. Snacking on chips and cookies might be satisfying, but they’ll also leave you lethargic. Instead, keep healthy snacks like nuts and fruit within arm’s reach. Healthier foods will give you the energy you need to get up and go when the time comes.

Consider Hiring a Personal Trainer

In addition to short workouts during the work week, consider hiring a personal trainer. It’s easy to skip out on hitting the gym, especially after working all week. That’s why many trainers have begun making house calls, which is not only more convenient, but may help you work out more consistently.

When hiring a trainer, be sure to review their qualifications. “Personal fitness trainers are not presently required to have a state license,” says Christine C McCall, a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer. “Proposals to require such license have failed in recent years. There is, of course, a strong trend toward certification by one or more voluntary organizations of fitness professionals.”

Go Out for Lunch

Being active isn’t just about eating right and exercising. A crucial component is staying active mentally and socially. To that end, you should try to incorporate mentally and socially stimulating activities into your day. Going out for lunch, instead of ordering in or eating at home, is a great way to get out and about. The change of environment will help you decompress, and if you can convince a friend or two to come along—you’ll get your social interaction in for the day.

Of course, going out every single day is expensive and can be unhealthy, so try doing it just once or twice a week. Be sure to make healthy choices when choosing where to eat. If you can’t afford to go out, at least spend some time hobnobbing with the rest of civilization before retreating back to your work cave.