How to Stay Healthy and Active as a Remote Worker

As someone who works remotely at her desk for a living, I understand all too well how remote workers can fall into some unhealthy habits during the workday.

Staying in your pajamas and working from bed while snacking every couple of hours might sound appealing, but it’s certainly not good for your body or your mind. Besides starting your day off right, there are a few easy ways to stay active and healthy in a remote job.

Here are some simple actions you can incorporate into your day that will help you stay healthy and active while working remotely:

Take a dance break.

You don’t really need to dance to make this tip work, but the act of changing your current scenario by throwing on some music for five minutes will help you break out of whatever it is you’re currently doing, and give you the opportunity to at least stand up and take a stretch.

Keep your meals in the fridge.

Instead of casually snacking throughout the day or planning what you’ll eat for lunch when you get down to the kitchen, pretend that you’re going into an office and plan your (healthy) meals and snacks accordingly. If you can keep pre-prepared meals and snacks in your fridge and pantry, you’ll be less likely to eat unhealthily throughout the day.

Go for a walk.

If you live in an area where it’s easy to walk to a café, try doing that a couple of times a week to switch up your work environment and get some exercise in. Even if you don’t walk anywhere specific, just taking a walk around the neighborhood for 10 minutes is enough to get the blood flowing.

Consider a standing desk.

Studies have shown that using a standing desk isn’t just good for your health, but it may significantly improve your productivity, as well.

Move your desk.

If your desk happens to be in a dark area, consider moving it to someplace with a window. Proper lighting will help you stay productive and happy while working, while poor lighting can put extra strain on your eyes. If you can’t set up shop near a window, do some research to find out which desk lamps and light bulbs are best to use.

Schedule time for yourself.

If you work from home it can be hard to separate your work life from your home life. In order to ensure you take time for yourself, try scheduling it in your calendar the way you would a meeting. This could mean blocking out 30 minutes each afternoon for a run, yoga class, or a quick bike ride. You’ll feel so much more productive once you do it.

Photo Credit: bigstockphoto.com

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