A lot of us our working at home these days. I even started back up at work after maternity leave, and instead of going back to the office as I anticipated, I’m working from home. The convenience of working at home is wonderful, but I’ve found that it’s a lot harder to stay active. It can be so easy to go from sitting at your desk all day to sitting on the couch at night, with our only movement being walking to and from the bathroom or kitchen. In working from home, I’ve noticed my back and hips hurting more from all the sitting and just feeling lower energy in general. If you’re feeling similarly, here some tips on how to be active all day at home.

How to be Active All Day at Home

Stand Up

Working at a standing desk makes all the difference for my energy levels! I feel more alive and have less back and joint pain. I also find that when I’m feeling stuck or need to think of an idea, moving around helps. You can create your own standing desk with boxes, but it’s worth investing in a standing desk converter! Here are some of my favorites.

Think Outside the Box

Being active doesn’t just mean doing a workout. Some of the most common, domestic, and leisure activities you may not associate with exercise can help improve your health. Things like cleaning the house, gardening, dancing, playing with your kids, and organizing your closet are just a few simple ways to be active, and you will usually have fun or feel very accomplished doing them.

Get an Exercise Ball

If standing while working isn’t your thing, get an exercise ball to use instead of your office chair. Sitting on an exercise ball helps strengthen your core. You will naturally move and/or bounce while sitting on it, sneaking in small movements that will add up throughout the day. Additionally, the ball doubles as exercise equipment you can use after your work day. Exercise balls are pretty affordable and can be found everywhere. I especially love this felt-covered one that would look classy in a home office.

Have an Active Lunch Break

Break up the middle of your workday and get outside with a walk, even 15 minutes makes a difference. I have been scheduling check-in calls with friends around lunch and take the call outside. Fresh air, movement, and social connection are a great combination! If you can’t make it outside or don’t have much of a lunch break, take a few minutes midday to do some stretching or dance to your favorite song.

Set Alarms to Stand Up and Stretch

If you have an Apple Watch it can tell you when you’ve been sitting too long without a break. Take advantage of that feature to get up and move your body every so often. But even if you don’t have an Apple Watch, set alarms on your phone or calendar to stand up and stretch every hour. Even just a couple minutes can go a long way.

Start Your Day with Stretching or Yoga

I love starting my day with a couple minutes of movement. Since my coffee takes a couple minutes to brew, I use that time to do a simple stretching routine I found on YouTube. You could also do a plank hold or a few push-ups. Anything to get blood flowing!

Put on Workout Clothes When You Wake Up

Since I don’t have to go anywhere right away, I’ve been putting my workout clothes on right away in the morning for either a morning, mid-morning, or lunchtime workout. Sometimes I don’t end up working out, but usually this simple act gets me in the mindset.

Do an At-Home Workout

Even if you can’t make it to the gym or your favorite workout class, doesn’t mean you can’t get a good workout! There are tons of free workout videos on YouTube that use body weight or minimal equipment. If you don’t have a home gym, consider setting one up using my home workout essentials blog. Even a few dumbbells, a yoga mat, and some resistance bands can go a long way.

Develop a Daily Rhythm

Developing and sticking to a daily rhythm has been beneficial not only for staying active but also for maintaining some normalcy. Set a consistent wake up time and schedule your work, breaks, and workouts. It seems simple, but really goes a long way in staying focused with work and making sure that workout happens.

Do Something that Brings You Joy

We can all can use a mood-booster these days, so don’t feel like you have to force yourself to do exercise you don’t like. If you don’t like it, you will be less likely to stick with it. Find movement or exercise you enjoy, and you’ll have fun and feel better doing it!

Leave me some of your best tips on how to stay active all day at home in the comments below!