working out from home routines and personal wellness
The pandemic has changed our lives in many ways. For many of us, working from home or remotely may be the new normal when it comes to employment. While that comes with its own set of challenges, it’s also an opportunity to use the extra time saved from not having to commute or needing to look presentable everyday to instead, embrace some self-betterment practices.
While we’re no longer fully confined within the four walls of our homes, many people are still working from home and don’t feel comfortable going back to a public gym. And now that it’s getting colder outside, not everyone wants to keep jogging outdoors. But not to worry. There are many things you can do to stay healthy if you’re spending extra time around your home or apartment.
While everyone’s budget is different, here is how I approached my own WFH gym set up. For someone who’s often glued to a screen, these tips and tricks have helped me stay fit and mentally crisp as I work (and tweet) from home.
Ramp’s Work From Home Exercise Set-Up
I own a house that has a finished basement. It’s an open floor plan, but I converted the space into a hybrid office-gym. I have a treadmill and assault bike that I bought on Facebook marketplace for under $100 each. I also have an adjustable bench with an adjustable dumbbell set that goes up to 55lb each. Lastly, I splurged for a Peloton earlier in the year, which I plan on using much more during the winter months when I’m not outside as much.
While this may sound like a lot of equipment, it can be acquired over time. It’s also easy to buy all of this equipment if you can justify it in your budget. If you can live without the social aspect of going to the gym for a while, you can actually build a pretty simple at-home gym for less than you might expect.
Cost-Saving Incentives
Gym memberships can have a pretty wide range of costs, depending on the location and amenities. Orangetheory Fitness memberships, for example, range anywhere from $59/month to $159/month based on how many classes you take. For argument’s sake, let’s use a number in the middle at $100/month. If you didn’t go to the gym for an entire year, that’s an extra $1,200 that you could save and put towards your home gym. This will go a long way towards building up a nice workout space. Start with some of the cheaper items such as jump ropes, yoga mats, and stretch bands. You don’t have to go in on something pricey to get your home gym up and running.
Other Home Wellness Tips and Practices
Building a home gym is just one part of enhancing your personal wellness at home. Since the WFH crew is mostly digital and we’re staring at computer screens all day, we need to make sure we aren’t sedentary...all day long. There are a couple of easy tips to fix this.
For example, if you have a smartwatch, you can set reminders to tell you to be active. If not, set appointments on your calendar every hour to take a break, get up, and move around. Another step you can take to increase your personal well-being is to use a standing desk or a walking desk. For some, standing all day may be better for your back, but could be harder on your feet and knees. Doing a combo between an ergonomic chair and a standing desk is an ideal setup to keep your body feeling spritely.
Sticking to a schedule is also important. One trick I use is to place recurring placeholders on my calendar to either do a quick 5-minute workout or meditate. This does two things: It reminds me not only to get up and move, but it also reminds me to take breaks from work. Do not ignore these breaks if you’ve been head down in work mode for too long. Your boss or the client can wait — most times.
Don’t forget about your pets. Your pets are the kings and queens of quarantine. They’re always lying around the house. This presents another fun opportunity for both of you to get some fresh air and take a few laps around the block. You’ll both see the benefits of getting outside and soaking up the sun while also letting your mind wander a bit. It helps if you leave your phone at home for these quick jaunts. Be present and take in the nature or concrete jungle.
Another fun and exercise I’ve written about in the past is golf. While golfers aren’t traditionally known to have the most sculpted bodies, don’t fool yourself into thinking you aren’t getting any exercise out on the links. A golf bag can weigh anywhere from 10-20lbs depending on how many extra golf balls you have stored in the pockets. A golfer walking a typical 18-hold round will travel anywhere from 5 to 10 miles. Not bad. (Note: Using golf as an excuse to exercise assumes you aren’t buying 6-packs at the concession stand and eating hot dogs at the turn).
In short, there are numerous benefits you can get from sticking to an exercise routine at home. To rehash some top-line pros:
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It breaks up your day.
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Adds mental clarity.
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Keeps you healthy and fit.
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Offers you free time after work, since you’re exercising in the middle of the day
What at-home routines work for you? Give me a shout on Twitter and let us know!
