Simple ways to move more while working from home

It can be a bit difficult to take care of yourself during the workday, especially while working from home. This is because you aren’t in a shared space to observe how coworkers are taking care of themselves. Communal trips to the break room or gathering around coffee isn’t really an option, so remembering to eat, hydrate, and get up and move doesn’t always happen.

But daily movement is cited as an important aspect of human survival in most instances. (Did you know that Betty White largely attributes her health to using the stairs in her home every single day? How easy could exercise be?) And while some movements are targeted to help you burn fat, others simply exist to help your body to continue functioning properly.

We’ve got a few favorite (simple and subtle) ways to move more while working from home.

Enjoy small movements at your desk

Sometimes when you’re in a workflow, it can be easier to just stay in place and crank out your tasks. In these instances, it’s great to have some small movements in your back pocket to work on while you type, create, record, listen and moderate your work. But what movements can actually show a marked improvement that is small enough to perform at your desk space? (After all, that inversion table probably isn’t a great idea for your next Zoom call.)

• Calf raises: Calf raises are perfect for most desk jobs, whether working from home, an office or facing the general public in a retail position. Make sure to drink water and get your recommended amount of potassium when engaging your calf muscles, as cramping can happen quickly.
• Torso twists: Remember torso twists? You most likely had to do them as part of your warm-up routine in gym class from age five to at least middle school. Something that was once seen as a silly movement now helps to relieve pain in your torso. It also helps to extend and stretch muscles that don’t always get attention, and the intensity can be increased slowly as you angle your torso in different directions. Just be sure to keep your stomach taut while engaging in this exercise, as those looking for visible results will experience them faster.
• Squats: Squats activate many key parts of your body at once, including multiple joints and muscles at a time. The form is very important, however, and incorporating squats alongside cortisol-conscious workouts will allow for fewer pops and crackles when it does come time to move. For a well-rounded workout, start with incorporating 20 squats into your routine every 2 hours during the day. This will allow time for muscle recovery, as well as let you build on your number at a nice pace if and when time allows.
• Neck stretches: If you want to keep your joints moving, cortisol-conscious workouts like stretching can be a godsend. Trying out a few neck stretches — like the ones featured by The Mayo Clinic — can do wonders for the movement and comfort of your neck and shoulders. It can also help reduce tension headache pain.

Create kinks in your flow

Creating a streamlined setup for your desk area can be something that helps productivity. What can really help, however, is if you set things up a little bit awkwardly. This may seem counterintuitive, but creating small obstacles for yourself can help you to move more. A standing desk to adjust throughout the day, an exercise mat you hit with your chair wheels that reminds you to stretch, files that are just out of reach so you have to stand up and walk over to retrieve them.

Some people are brave enough to charge their phone in another room (or distant corner of the room you are in) so that they have to get out of their chair to retrieve it when they hear it or their smartwatch buzzes. When it’s time to eat a snack or hydrate, keeping those consumable items ready to go in another space – probably the kitchen, if you’re in a consistent work-from-home situation – will allow you a small break between work to enjoy your food and focus on digestion away from your workstation.

Small tweaks to your workspace can really help you to remain on your toes throughout the day and remind you to move a bit more than your run-of-the-mill workspace would allow.

Dance daily

Don’t just take stretch breaks every so often, the workday is the perfect time to dance it out. Between meetings, while fielding client emails, while feeding your fur babies (or real babies). As silly as it can feel when you start, rhythmic motion is incredibly beneficial to your health. Regular dance can actively help build muscle and bone, increase lung and aerobic capacity, and even lower blood pressure. When paired with an amazing track or uplifting song, mental health benefits can increase exponentially, and create a more productive or inspired headspace.

Dancing is great for posture, balance, and tied to memory capabilities in aging adults. If you choose to take your dance break outside, you’ll have the added benefits of fresh air and a true break from the workspace.

Actively work on your posture

Dancing isn’t always an option. In these situations — and all others, of course -—it is important to always actively work on your posture. This can be one of the easiest, smallest movements for you to do at your desk or in any work-from-home situation. Improving your posture will elongate your body, reduce back and neck pain, incredible muscle flexibility, and reduce your chances of scoliosis and other physical ailments as you age. It can help reduce skin issues caused by chafing, lend itself to proper form in other exercises, and build muscle strength. It even helps the healthy balance and flow of your internal organs, as they are less scrunched up inside of your body with correct posture.

If you’re seated at your desk, drawing your navel in will automatically improve your posture. Though no one has a Genovian queen to help them with their table manners, imagining that you have tied your shoulders to the back of your chair with a scarf will bring your body into alignment. It may feel rigid at first, and even painful, but it will get easier as time goes on and you slowly train your back to align.

Here’s an incredible at-home workout, as well as some quick 10-minute exercise options to consider for those of you interested in adding even more movement to your day.