We all have become couch potatoes to some extent. Startling! isn’t it?

COVID- 19 pandemic has a profound effect on our physical activity and mental health. Most of us have become confined to our houses and forced to work from home. Students are learning from their homes, teachers are teaching from homes, many companies have implemented work from home policies for their employees.

While working from our couches from a cozy place at our home we have neglected our physical activity and have adopted a sedentary lifestyle. Staying fit while working from home seems to be extremely difficult in this situation.

This sort of sedentary lifestyle is affecting our physical as well as mental health. As studies have shown that a sedentary lifestyle increases the risks for developing cardiovascular diseases,  obesity,  sleep disturbances, hypertension, and type-2 diabetes.

Let’s adopt a smarter approach to combat this unhealthy behavior.

GATHER SOME SELF-MOTIVATION TO STAY FIT WHILE WORKING FROM HOME:

Are you motivated enough to keep yourself fit and active? Let’s check it out with a simple test. If you are sitting right now just stand up immediately. If you are lying down just get up for once. And If you are standing start running at the spot. Can you do this right now? If yes BRAVO! You are motivated enough to stay active.

If not don’t worry you just need to motivate yourself and make up your mind to adopt some healthy habits in your routine.

Here are some useful tips and healthy habits to stay fit while working from home:

START YOUR DAY WITH A LITTLE WORKOUT

After getting up start your day with a little workout. Warm-up your body with little stretching like a cobra, butterfly stretches, and do your favorite yoga poses. Do some jogging at the spot or go out for a walk.

INCORPORATE VARIOUS MOVEMENTS TO YOUR ROUTINE

Try to walk while attending phone calls or scrolling social media. According to CDC engaging in active family playtime, doing household chores such as cleaning, walking on the grass, and doing jumping jacks or pushups during commercials while watching TV are health tips to keep our minds and body active even while staying at home.

SET TIMERS TO GET UP EVERY HOUR

Don’t go for long sedentary hours. Set up a timer or alarm that reminds you to get up every hour. Get up, stretch, do some pushups, jumping jacks, or start running at the spot. Take deep breaths and relax.

NO FANCY EQUIPMENT? DON’T WORRY

You don’t need to have fancy equipment or heavy machinery at home to stay fit. Use water bottles or heavy bags for weightlifting. You have joggers or sneakers right! just wear them and start running at the spot or go out for a walk. Go for sit-ups, pushups, lunges, squats, jumping jacks, rope skipping, burpees as they require no equipment at all. These are excellent exercises to do while working from home.

WATCH YOUR POSTURE

Make sure your laptop screens or phone are at eye level while working on them. Bending your neck and looking down while working on screens for so long can put strains on your neck and shoulders. Give your eyes and neck some rest and little breaks. Try to maintain a healthy posture by keeping your back straight. Try to switch between sitting and standing positions while working on desks in front of laptops.

MAKE EXERCISE MORE EXCITING

Exercise with your friends by interacting online. Try some workout videos or simply put on some music and dance in your room to make exercise more exciting.

EAT HEALTHY AND STAY HYDRATED

Exercise won’t do many wonders if your body is lacking enough water and a healthy diet. Avoid eating unhealthy, fatty, and sugary foods. Eat a nutritious and healthy diet containing essential proteins, carbs, vitamins, and minerals like the Mediterranean diet. Eat more fruits and vegetables.

Rush towards the water. Drink plenty of water about 8 glasses a day and stay hydrated.

Always make your physical and mental health your priority and incorporate these healthy habits in your routine to stay fit and active while working from home.