For many, remote working has been a godsend. Workers have overwhelmingly preferred the flexibility and the freedom that comes with working from home, or wherever else they might decide. People love remote work so much that it looks like it's going to be here to stay.However, there have been some disadvantages to remote working. Working from home has been awesome for freelancers, but some have found it harder to stay in shape. That’s why we’re going to take a look at some helpful tips for freelancers to get fit. Here the focus will exclusively be on improving your physical health and getting you back into shape.
How to stay healthy while working from home
So, what could be the disadvantages of freelancing? Well, it’s sometimes harder to stay in shape when working from home. While some took the chance to use the lockdown as a time to use that treadmill functioning as a coat hanger, many of us didn’t.There are many legitimate reasons why we weren’t all doing lounges on the staircase, but now we have a chance to fix that by adding a few exercises to our daily routine. Let’s head to some tips for you to get in shape:
Spend time outdoors
A great and simple way to start getting active is by going outside. Going for walks with your dog, jogging, taking little hikes, practicing yoga outside, and doing something more outdoorsy like kayaking are all great ways to get into shape. Find whatever best fits your interests and get to it. Outdoor activities are fun and easy to start improving both your physical and mental health.
Stay active when you can’t go outdoors
With all that being said about how wonderful the outdoors are, it isn’t always possible to go outdoors. There are lockdowns, people might get sick, or whatever. That, however, doesn’t stop you from being active. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is by turning your house into a home gym. There are plenty of exercises that you can do in and around the house without equipment.Some of these include tried true classics like push-ups or setups, but there are other ways that you can get physically active. Exercises like stretches or yoga are great ways to get active if push-ups aren’t your cup of tea.
Incorporate movement into your daily life
Incorporating movement into your daily life is a great way to sort of cheat the system. It can be as easy as:
- doing calf raises while standing in line
- using a standing desk
- walking while using the phone
- parking further away from your destination to walk further
Bringing small changes like this into your daily routine is a great way to keep active. The key is to find ways to sneak activity into your life that wouldn’t ordinarily be there. Making these small activities into a habit is a good first step to take when getting in shape.
Eat right and plan your meals
Ask any doctor or nutritionist and they’ll tell you that arguably the most important thing that you can do when getting in shape is to improve your diet. You’ve probably heard it so many times that it sounds cliche, but it bears repeating that a healthy diet is an important part of a healthy life. So, how do we do this?Stocking your home with healthy snacks is a good way to make sure that you do eat healthily. One of the ways we sabotage our diets is by eating junk food as snacks because we simply don’t have access to or the time to prepare wholesome healthy meals. So consider replacing potato chips with banana chips or other similar moves.Also, be sure to eat balanced meals that suit your diet and taste. If you’re vegetarian, for example, then you'll have to find ways to get the nutrients you need from non-meat products. So take your health, any medical concerns, or other dietary needs into account and find ways to make healthy and well-balanced meals.A good way to make this easier is by starting to meal prep. If you’re unfamiliar, meal prepping is the concept of preparing whole meals/dishes in advance so that it saves you time when it comes to cooking. Meal prepping allows you to think seriously about your nutrition goals and consider your food wisely because you’re taking the step to actively plan your meals and diet.
Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated is one of the things that we often overlook when it comes to finding a healthy balance. All too often we ignore our bodies’ signals that tell us that we need something to drink, or worse, we drink things like sodas or other sugary drinks that aren’t good for our bodies. So stay hydrated; drink when you’re thirsty and make sure that what you’re drinking is plenty of water unless directed to otherwise for health reasons.
Get motivated
How do freelancers stay focused? Well, one of the ways they do it is by getting and staying motivated. Motivation is the spark that keeps freelancers on the ball, especially considering how hectic the freelancer lifestyle can be. Keep the things that motivate you in mind when going about your day-to-day life to remind yourself why you’re doing these things.But while motivation may be the spark that moves you, it's equally important to be disciplined. There are going to be days when the motivation isn’t there, and so that’s where your discipline gets things done. So remember to stay disciplined and motivated when it comes to your physical fitness.
Positive mind, positive thoughts
The past few years have been incredibly stressful with all that has happened, and so it’s easy to see why some people might not be happy campers. But, keeping a positive mind is a good way to improve your health and your mood. People with positive thoughts are more likely to be more productive and also be healthy.While it isn’t easy, you should aim to have some positivity in your life. Keep the good things in your life in mind and focus on that while also trying to avoid or limit things that provoke negative thoughts. Doing so will help you improve your mood while doing and feeling better.
Meditate
Meditation, remote work, and mental health can all go hand in hand. Using the flexibility that remote work affords you, considering meditation should be on your to-do list. Meditation is a good way to empty the mind of thoughts to focus on yourself and your state of being.It’s about more than just sitting quietly; it's an active skill that you can develop and practice that improves your health. Centering your thoughts and clearing your mind of potentially stressful thoughts is a good way to improve mental well-being. That’s why meditation, in whatever healthy way you can manage, is a great activity to add to your repertoire.
Make time for exercise
Exercise is one of the activities to add to your daily habit to overcome the obstacles in your daily life that limits your chances. Not everyone has access to gyms or even likes them. You might not know the proper techniques or be too keen to deal with the soreness. So, it is harder to get into exercise.But, exercise is worth it. The benefits of exercise are numerous:
- better physical health
- stress relief
- improved mood
- mental health
- even possibly expanding your social life
There are so many different activities that you can do ranging from sports to gyms, or things like yoga. If you’re looking to get into shape, then exercise is a must.Here is a list of resources that can help make it easier for you to get started:1. MapMyRun is an app that is useful for tracking not only your activities but also for giving you useful data to improve your methods2. MoovBuddy is an application offered with a discounted fee to Ruulers by a community partner, mapping exercise plans created by doctors and physical therapists specifically designed to help relieve joint and back pain and increase your fitness.3. 30 Day Fitness is an app that tracks your fitness goals and gives you specific exercises to reach them, including even video instructions.4. Yoga with Adriene is a good resource on YouTube that features yoga tutorials for beginners and even targeted practices that can focus on specific goals.
Take stretching breaks
One of the best remote work tips that you can use is to take stretch breaks. Because one of the issues that we face in our lives is sedentary lifestyles spent at a desk, stretching is a great way to get the body moving again and to get pain relief caused by neck problems. Stretching is a great way to also break the monotony of your day-to-day activities.
Be conscious about whether you take the time to move
For those who work from home, remote jobs and health are complicated issues because we aren’t used to dealing with them. Working from home is beneficial in many ways but it has proven difficult for many freelancers to stay in shape. So, we suggest you follow the advice from this article and get active. Find gym equipment for sale, add movement to your routine, and treat your body right. Doing this will see your fitness improve in no time.
