Staying Fit While Working from Home

Working from home takes a lot of time and a lot of hard work. Sure, you may have some leeway when it comes to scheduling around others, but unfortunately, what others view as a 'convenience' implies that those of us working from home need to get a 'real job.' The fact is we do have real jobs, taking much of our time, only instead of doing it across town in a high-rise building; we are doing it from the comfort of home. In doing so, we are also, at times, caring for children, doing laundry and other household tasks, as well as taking care of both work and home-related errands. As a result, we sometimes forget about ourselves.

I've noticed over the course of time, as many of you may have, that jeans seem to be fitting tighter and blouses seem a bit snugger, especially in places where you'd rather not emphasize. Maybe that last trip to the doctor's office put you face to face with reality as you stepped onto the dreaded scale. "What do you mean I've gained ten pounds?" This, unfortunately, is a side effect of working from home. We tend to be so caught up in the moment trying to complete all of our day-to-day tasks that we overlook important things, such as exercise. Our excuse always seems to be "there's no way to find time for, of all things, staying fit." However, this isn't true at all.

Since it's very easy for the home worker (not homemaker) to continue working around the clock in order to stay on top of things, finding time for extras, such as exercise, remain unattended to. Therefore, you must learn to create more traditional 'work' hours, allowing time off for fulfilling your personal needs. Make it a point to not only begin working at a specific time but stop at a specific time as well, just as you would in a traditional office environment. Make a sincere effort to leave work-related tasks for those designated hours. Just as you would schedule regular work hours, try to fit in thirty minutes to an hour for lunch. Use this time to not only eat something healthy but also squeeze in a workout. This doesn't have to be anything strenuous. You can get a good workout simply by performing some of those household chores, like vacuuming, mopping, or even doing laundry. Then again, why not go outside for some fresh air and perhaps even take a stroll or two around the block.

Ever experienced undue back pain or even had those buns start tingling after awhile? Poor posture is usually the culprit, especially after sitting for hours on end at a desk or computer screen. While you are working, try to schedule in some short breaks (about 10 minutes) throughout the workday for small workouts, such as walking up and down stairs or even getting in a few squats. If nothing else, just take a couple of minutes every hour to stand up and stretch your body. This not only helps alleviate posture problems, but you'll also burn off unwanted calories and feel more refreshed once you return to your work. Keep healthy snacks available whenever you feel like getting a quick energy boost and try drinking water rather than soda or coffee. You'd be amazed at the difference water alone can make once other sugary or caffeinated drinks are cut down on.

Working from home takes time and hard work, but it doesn't have to take a toll on your health. Making a few simple changes in your day-to-day activities can actually make all the difference, allowing you to stay fit while working from home.