How to stay fit while working from home

If you are working from home a lot, it is a good idea to treat yourself as one of your clients. This means looking after yourself.

What you need to know:

  • Julius Gayira, a fitness specialist at 256 Fitness, says much as some work requires maximum attention, as you work from home, make it a point to take work breaks of 10 to 20 minutes.
  • Working from home is good and many people would jump at the idea.

Of late, there are certain jobs or businesses that require you to work from home. However, with the comfort that home provides, the house chores to be done, coupled with the attention that family or visitors may need, it makes it a little harder to create time for home exercises.
Brian Agaba, a project manager, sometimes has to work from home. He agrees that much as working from home is peaceful and saves him money that would have been used on fuel and other costs, it keeps him busy all through the day, that engaging in exercise becomes secondary.

Develop an exercise schedule
“In order to cope, I had to draw an exercise schedule of when and how long I should exercise. I knew that when the time is set, I will have discipline and respect the schedule.
If it clocks 5pm and I have to skip a rope in the compound and do press-ups, I put work and family aside and run to the compound,” Agaba says.

Squats
While your workplace may not provide the privacy to carry out simple exercises such as squats, Agaba adds that you should, while working from home during the lunch break, make it fun by trying out the one and a half squats.
Just as the name suggests, you will perform one and a half squats per rep. To put it simply, squat down as you normally would, but when you are on your way back up, stop midway, hold for three or four seconds, and return to the bottom.
“To make it even more fun, you can involve your family, especially your children who will not only enjoy spending time with you but will act as motivation for you to do more squats without even noticing it,” Agaba says.

Stand as you work
On days when Jane Mugerwa, a communications officer works from home, she sometimes prefers working while standing, with her computer placed on the kitchen cabinet.
“If I work when seated, I sometimes develop back pain after sitting for long hours. But when I work with my laptop placed on the kitchen shelf where I do not have to sit, I do not develop the back pain,” Mugerwa says.

According to Dr Umarashid Gulooba of Makerere University Business School, working while standing, improves blood flow throughout your body.
“When you sit, because your thighs are in contact with the seat, it congests or limits the rate at which blood flows to the rest of your body. In some cases, you may develop a burning sensation in your thighs as a result of squeezing your blood veins. So, to increase healthy blood flow, you need to create some time and work while standing,” Dr Gulooba advises.

Take short work breaks
Julius Gayira, a fitness specialist at 256 Fitness, says much as some work requires maximum attention, as you work from home, make it a point to take work breaks of 10 to 20 minutes.
“You can use these few minutes to engage in light jogging around your house. If you have a big compound, you can run from one edge or corner of the fence to another. By so doing, it helps you sweat a little while reducing stress. It also refreshes your brain to think better while you work,” Gayira advises.
“If there are stairs or a swimming pool, you can walk up and down the stairs for five minutes to keep your joints flexible as well as swimming for approximately 10 minutes and resume with work,” he adds.

Cycling
Gayira says it is understandable that most people fear to ride on the streets. However, cycling at home is not only safe but also boosts the rate at which your heart, lungs and other body parts function.
“Bicycle riding increases your heart beat, muscle strength, burns excess body fat, reduces depression and improves mobility of your joints, especially in the knee and ankle areas. You should also fill your cupboards and fridge with healthy snacks including nuts, fruit sand raw vegetables, among others,” Gayira says.
Working from home is good and many people would jump at the idea. To enjoy its benefits while keeping fit, practice discipline and overall restraint, especially when it comes to binging on unhealthy foods.

Do not eat out of boredom
This tip has nothing to do with exercise, but everything to do with staying fit. Being at home is convenient, and one of those conveniences is that you can eat whatever you want in your house, whenever you want to. Remember that calories still count, and you should not eat out of boredom because you are suffering brain fog, or just bored.

If this happens, chew on some gum, drink some herbal tea, or eat raw veggies to get rid of cravings. If these do not work, consider doing a small household activity for 20 minutes and come back to your work after a small break. On the flip side, do not forget to eat regular meals if you get caught up in your assignments. Continue eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with snacks if you like.
Keeping meals regular and making sure they are healthy choices are key to staying in shape and keeping your metabolism at peak.