Living an Active Lifestyle

One of the health trends of the past decade has been about movement.  As a society, we began to be more aware of how many steps we were taking and how many calories we were burning daily.  Technology fueled this fad as basic pedometers, digital devices like Fitbits and smart watches started to take center stage.  People were starting to walk more and starting to live more active lives.  A whole new trend of office furniture and accessories have been developed with this movement move in mind.  Being healthy takes work and as a society we were moving toward active living being the new norm, but COVID has caused this progress to stall.  It is time for us to realize the challenges of our current situation and to tackle them head on. 

With people working from home, we are moving less, and our healthier lifestyle is being punished.  We can combat this.  Below you will see some simple ways to ensure you are remaining healthy and active even though you are no longer leaving the home to go to the office. 

Walking

Going into the office every day forces us to walk.  We must travel to and from our vehicles or other methods of transportation, we must walk to our desk and transverse our office building, and we move around to get lunch and to attend meetings.  Working from home ensures we do not have to any of these things.  Odds are a trip to your bathroom or kitchen from your workplace is far less distance than it is at the office.  As a result, we are simple walking less.  The good news this is any easy problem to address.  Working from home ensures we have some flexibility in our schedule and some creature comforts.  We no longer need to bring a change of clothes or different shoes to take a jog or walk during a break.  Simply put we can make up these lost steps by simply budgeting some time for exercise.  Take an afternoon walk or a mid-day run.  It is up to you, the hard part is motivating ourselves to do it. 

Gym

The other factor that has led to a decline in our activity is the closure and new regulations surrounding gyms.  For years we could go to the gym, risk free, whenever we wanted.  It did not matter how many people were there and it did not matter if face coverings were worn.  Gyms are different now.  They involve more of a hassle and going is a bigger health risk.  Furthermore, when they first closed it seems like all home gym equipment sold out and has yet to fully reappear.  Additionally, this equipment can be expensive and not feasible for many people in their budgets.   Finally, we can go digital with gym classes through the internet, but this lacks the environment making it hard for some people to focus.  These factors have also resulted in a decline in activity. 

So, the question is how do we continue to live a healthy lifestyle while we are confined to our homes and do not go out nearly as much as possible?

Office Upgrades

Changing the way, we work can make a big impact on our bodies throughout the day.  Sitting for long periods of time can lead to back and other problems.  This has led to the creation of several different workplace furniture developments.   The most common ones we see and hear about are sit/stand desks.  These desks can vary in height so you can change your work position throughout the day.  Do not worry though, you do not need to get all new furniture.  There are tons of options that can retro fit your current set up to add height adjustability.  Another less common way to ensure you move when working is treadmill desks.  This is a straightforward concept; you have a treadmill that you walk on while you work.  Additionally, you can get small cycling derives that allows you to peddle while you sit.  These devices are less common, but the idea is easy to understand. Finally, several companies now have chairs that encourage active posture throughout the day.  These chairs, or active seating as they are called, force your body to exert more energy to remain stable and can lead to better core strength and posture.  These are just a few examples of creative solutions to help you live a healthier lifestyle while working at home.  Do some research and find the ideal chair or office accessory for your goals and needs.

Personal Responsibility

It doesn’t matter how much money you spend on fitness or active office equipment; what matters is that it gets used.  This one is totally up to you.  Being active is an individual's responsibility.  No one can force you to do it.  It is easy to make excuses and blame laziness on the situation we are in.  Yes, we do not travel to and from work as much.  Yes, going to the gym is more of a hassle then it used to be.  Finally, yes, it is your responsibility to adjust your habits to deal with the current situation.  The best way to tackle a challenge is head on.  So, plan to get active again.  You can buy new furniture to help you do it, you can by some fitness equipment, or you can simply go for a walk.  Just do not let the excuses start.  Once you get going it gets easier to keep up with a routine and you will feel better as a result.  Finally, if you are interested in learning about active office options feel free to contact us at sales@furniturewholesalers.com.