There’s a lot to love about working from home, like no commute, wearing PJs all day, and being close to your kitchen at all times. But there are also downsides to working remotely, including that you might not get to move around as much as when you actually left the house for your job. If you’re one of the 42% of U.S. workers who spent the better part of 2020 working from home, you may be sitting more and that can be tough on your body. Prolonged sitting is linked to issues including back and neck pain, weaker bones, and even obesity.
Luckily, it’s easy to sneak some activity into your day while you work with these ideas:
- Swap out your chair- Save your sofa for your Netflix binges and try a different kind of seat. Sitting on a sustainability ball forces you to sit up straight, which works your core muscles and helps improve posture. You could also do some gentle bouncing during the day to get in a little extra movement when you’re not on a Zoom.
- Keep equipment nearby- Get up and stretch from sitting and get a mini workout in by keeping light dumbbells, resistance bands or a jump rope nearby. You might even be able to get some exercises in during your meetings without anyone noticing.
- Do a few reps during breaks- If you work in front of a computer, your brain and your eyes need a rest several times a day and while you’re pausing your work, why not use that time to bust some moves? Do some squats, lunges, push-ups, planks, arm circles or stretches to loosen up the tension that comes with all that sitting. Your body will thank you and you might even boost your productivity afterwards, too.
Source:Prevention
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