Practical Ways to Stay Active When Working from Home

The shift to remote work has changed our daily routines and for many of us, it has meant saying goodbye to our daily commute and hello to a more sedentary lifestyle. In short, the work-from-home (WFH) revolution has negatively impacted many lives fitness-wise. But here’s the thing: your home office doesn’t have to be where your fitness goals go to die.

How to Break the Sedentary Cycle

Remember the days when you’d walk to catch your train or climb three flights of stairs to reach your office? Working from home has eliminated these built-in movement opportunities and many of us have found ourselves sitting for hours on end, moving only between our desk and the kitchen. Studies show that remote workers take up to 70% fewer steps daily compared to office workers. But don’t worry, don’t start missing your old commute, here are some strategies that have worked for hundreds of people who transitioned to a work-from-home lifestyle.

1. Create Movement Triggers in Your Home Office

The solution to staying active isn’t dramatic lifestyle overhauls, it’s building sustainable movement patterns into your existing routine. Think of your home as a movement playground rather than a workspace prison. One approach that’s worked wonders is what I call the “task-movement link” which simply means pairing regular work activities with specific movements.

For instance, every time you receive a phone call, stand up and walk. Make it a rule that there’ll be no sitting phone calls. Another great trigger is the “top of the hour” rule: when your computer clock strikes the hour, you get up and do a quick movement break.

Here are 2 Proven ways to set up these movement triggers: 

• Position your printer far from your desk, this tiny change forces you to stand up and walk whenever you need to print something. It seems minor, but these micro-movements add up significantly over time.
• Set up a standing desk zone for specific tasks. Maybe you stand for all your morning meetings or while checking emails, the important thing to do here is to link the standing to particular activities so it becomes automatic.

1. Build Exercise Into Your Remote Workday

The beauty of working from home is its flexibility, yet many people struggle to maintain a consistent exercise routine without the structure of office life. Work with your natural rhythm rather than against it to avoid this struggle. Here is something you can try to build exercise into your remote workday:

• Exercise Snacking

Forget that exercise only counts if it’s a solid hour at the gym. Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that breaking up exercise into shorter “snacks” throughout the day can be just as effective for maintaining fitness and if you can adopt this approach, you’ll see amazing results.

Here’s what an exercise-snacking day might look like:

• Morning: 10 minutes of dynamic stretching and bodyweight exercises while your coffee brews or while you make your tea.
• Mid-morning: 5-minute high-intensity interval training between meetings
• Lunch: 15-minute brisk walk around your neighborhood
• Afternoon: 10 minutes of strength exercises using household items
• Evening: 10 minutes of yoga to decompress

The important thing to do to get results is making these mini-workouts non-negotiable by treating them like important meetings. 

1. Create a Home Workout Space That Works

You don’t need an elaborate home gym to stay active, you can create an effective workout space in your tiny apartment, all you have to do is choose versatile equipment that serves multiple purposes and doesn’t dominate your living space.

Essential items that are Budget-friendly and Space-friendly:

• A quality yoga mat that doubles as a workout space marker
• Resistance bands of varying strengths (they take up virtually no space)
• A pair of adjustable dumbbells instead of a full set
• A sturdy chair for step-ups, dips, and elevated pushups

What makes these items particularly effective is their versatility. For instance, resistance bands can provide enough variety for over 100 different exercises, from light stretching to intense strength training.

1. Maximize Your Environment

Think creatively about your space. Stairs in your building? They’re your new cardio machine. A sturdy wall? Perfect for wall sits and elevated pushups. Your kitchen counter? That’s an instant standing desk or barre workout station. 

1. Stay Motivated Without Office Accountability

Working from home can feel isolating and without colleagues or gym buddies to exercise with or compete against, motivation can wane. This is where technology comes in, virtual workout buddies and fitness communities can provide the accountability and social connection you’re missing. You can use apps like Fit Buddies or Gym Buddy to find virtual workout companions.

Also create a “movement accountability system” that works for you. This might include:

• Joining online fitness challenges with specific daily goals
• Using fitness apps that connect you with friends for friendly competition
• Scheduling virtual workout sessions with colleagues
• Setting up a reward system for meeting weekly movement goals

6. Improvise to Overcome Common Obstacles

Let’s be honest, maintaining an active lifestyle while working remotely is challenging. Here are common challenges to maintaining your fitness goals while working remotely and how to overcome them:

• Bad Weather

Bad weather is often cited as a reason for skipping movement breaks. However, indoor alternatives can be just as effective. During rainy days, try:

• Shadowboxing during phone calls
• Desk yoga between meetings
• Stair climbing intervals (if you have stairs)
• Living room circuit training

• The “Too Busy” Trap

When deadlines are close and meetings stack up, most people relegate their exercise goals to the background due to the time constraints, meanwhile, the solution isn’t finding more time, it’s integrating movement into existing activities.

• Creating Sustainable Habits

The ultimate goal isn’t just to move more for a few weeks: it’s to create lasting habits that you stick with. Here are key factors that can help you overcome the challenge of inconsistency:

1. Consistency Over Intensity

It’s better to do ten minutes of movement daily than an intense two-hour session once a week. Start small, but stay consistent. Track your progress using whatever method works for you, it can  be a simple notebook, a fitness app or your smart watch.

1. Environmental Design

Your environment should support your movement goals, not work against them. Small changes can have big impacts:

• Keep resistance bands visible on your desk
• Place a yoga mat permanently rolled out in your office corner
• Post sticky note reminders for movement breaks in visible spots
• Set up your workspace so standing is as comfortable as sitting

Final Thoughts

Staying active while working from home isn’t about having perfect discipline or unlimited time, it’s about creating systems that move the easy choice so you can maintain an active lifestyle that supports both your work and your wellbeing.