How do you stay physically active while working remotely?
I go to a boot camp 3 times a week at 5:30 a.m.
I take a break every day, Monday through Friday, to get some exercise—usually in the middle of the day. It not only helps me stay healthy, but it helps me refocus. I also ride my bike to cafes on days when I don’t have many meetings. Sitting all day can be difficult; you have to make time for some physical activity. If you can’t get away in the middle of the day, use the time you’d normally be commuting!
I have two dogs so my wife and I will take them for a 45-minute walk when she gets home from work. I’ll also typically go for a walk every morning and listen to some podcasts so I feel I’ve done something physical before sitting down for the day. I experimented with a standing desk for a while but my gaming PC needed the larger desk so I don’t do that anymore; when I move house and get a larger office room I’m hoping to get back into that habit.
Whenever it’s a bicycle city, we get a bicycle… If not, we walk a lot (using as little as possible motor transportation)… And, as often as I can, I get my dose of dancing!
This is so important. It’s really easy to become sedentary when you’re not leaving the house and sitting at your desk all day. I go to the gym 4-5 days a week, usually first thing in the morning (5:00 a.m. or so). I also try to get up and move around several times a day. If you’re working from home and can get a rising desk extension so that you can stand and work periodically, do it.
This is the hardest part. I have a treadmill I use daily and I take my dogs for a walk during my lunch break.
I stand up and work out a bit every half-hour or so. I also make sure to have a regular workout routine, and a good diet, by default. This is easier to do when you work from home than when you work from elsewhere, not necessarily having access to decent food or wanting to stand up and do jumping jacks in front of a crowded office full of people.
I exercise almost daily: yoga, running, surfing, pushups. It’s essential to my lifestyle.
I always research yoga studios wherever I go and try to spend a lot of time in places with access to good surf waves. For running routes, I use apps to research common routes (it’s also a great way to explore new places).
Lately, I have been swimming in the Caribbean every day at lunch! Sure beats sweaty gym equipment!
Every afternoon, I try to go for a walk for about 30 minutes, either alone or with my infant son. It’s a nice way for me to recharge, soak up some vitamin D, and get some exercise and fresh air.
I get gym memberships here and there, at least if I’m staying in a place for a longer period of time. I also walk a whole lot, and if I’m in a bike-friendly city I’ll try to get my hands on a bike and get around that way. I’ve explored lots of Tokyo on a bike, for example (but I’d be very hesitant to do that in places like Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur). I also go swimming quite a bit when I’m in a place like Koh Pha Ngan, but not as much as I could (or should).
I could be more active. I walk my dog, and I move around while I’m on calls (wireless headset). I go to the gym when I feel I want to, which isn’t very often.
I try to do some form of exercise every day. Most days, that means going to the gym. If I’m crazed with deadlines, I’ll do yoga at home or go for a long walk.
I take walks, and I pace on calls!
I’m an avid adventure junkie, and so I always look for ways to explore the outdoors and get some exercise wherever I am—kayaking, skiing, surfing, climbing, hiking, etc. My usual go-to in any city is biking and swimming. Many cities have a bike share program, and if not there’s usually a place you can rent bikes. And for a few bucks, you can usually find a public pool to swim laps in.
I find it also helps to set up daily routines that you can do anywhere. For example, I stretch every morning for at least an hour—a combination of yoga and sports stretching.
In addition to scheduling in time for the gym, I try to get up every hour or two to move around, or run up and down the stairs. I have a stand-up desk at my onsite office and am thinking of putting one in my home office.
I do SEALFit as part of a small, like-minded virtual group—the program includes endurance, cardio, strength, and yoga. I swim up to 1000 meters whenever I’m near a pool or beach. I walk if the distance is 45 minutes or less, unless I’m on deadline.
That is a tough one. Working from home does lend itself to be less active (no more walking to another building for lunch in the cafeteria or going between conference rooms for meetings). For me, having an elliptical next to my desk is extremely helpful. Plus, I take my breaks by walking around the block.
I take short breaks that help me clear my mind, and I never make it feel like “I have to go work out.” I ride my bike to the ocean over lunch, go to a yoga class in the morning or early evening, or walk around town at lunch.
My partner and I have setup our studio in a location where we have easy access to areas where we can relax and be fit. Being next to the ocean is a huge part of staying fit.
I walk in the morning and go running or cycling in the afternoon. I go climbing with friends every weekend. I stand during my online meetings. And I hired a personal trainer to help me build more muscle. Staying physically active while working remotely takes discipline and constant effort. It’s important to build a routine that works for you.
We got a puppy! She’s my reason to get out and go for a quick or long walk. Yes, it’s another responsibility, but she calms me down and gets me outside for movement breaks.
We try and start each day with 10 minutes of yoga or sit-ups/pushups. It might not be much and we always try and do more later in the day, but at least we have that under our belt. We love being outdoors and love exploring on foot, bike, hikes, kayak, you name it.
It can be challenging or time consuming to find local yoga classes and a gym wherever I go, so I don’t always go as often as I’d like. In Da Nang, Vietnam, I lived across the street from a yoga studio, and in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I had yoga in my building, so I went frequently and regularly. In Taipei, Taiwan, I lived near a local gym (with an olympic-sized pool!) so I did workouts with weights regularly as well. The past month in Hualien and now Kaohsiung, both in Taiwan, I’ve been walking and cycling every day as a means of transportation, going for the occasional jog, and doing some of Blogilates’ arms and abs exercises every morning. Also, my Airbnb host in Hualien had a yoga mat, so I did yoga at home.
During break time, I try to take walks or even if just up and down the stairs. I also use a skipping rope, do basic yoga, and use 1L bottle of drinking water as a dumb bell. Sometimes I even tune in to YouTube for Zumba videos.
This will sound very silly, but my best workout methods are my hourly “dance parties.” I have repetitive strain injuries in my hands, so it’s important that I take frequent breaks. I decided to combine these breaks with exercise by taking 10 minutes of every hour to dance like a fiend to a high-energy playlist I made on Spotify. This is tricky at coffee shops, but fairly easy in even the smallest hotel room (you can always dance on the bed!). I’ve tried traditional exercise too—I trained and ran a marathon a few years back—but I find that the dance parties provide the best consistency. Plus, I always finish in a good mood.
Physical active is incredibly important to me as it helps me focus. I also have an Australian Shepherd mix who requires consistent activity. We’ll go on several walks a day and play fetch. Working out throughout the day allows me to energize my creative process, while breaking up the monotony of writing.
Walking the dog! Sure, I love yoga, but my instructor isn’t going to destroy the house if I don’t go to class. The dog needs to go outside, and lets me know when it’s getting close to our normal walk time.
I exercise almost every day; biking, swimming, etc.