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How I Stay Active While Working From Home
Working from home has a lot of benefits, but it also makes it incredibly easy to sit all day.
A few years ago, I realized I could spend an entire day at my desk without moving much at all. Between work, errands, and life, exercise often felt like one more thing on an already long to-do list.
Instead of trying to become a gym bro overnight, I started looking for simple ways to move more throughout the day. Those small changes have added up and helped me become stronger, more active, and more consistent.
Here are the tools and habits that help me stay active while working from home.
1. My Walking Pad
My walking pad has probably made the biggest difference in my daily activity level.
On days when the weather isn’t cooperating or I have a lot of computer work to do, I can still get steps in while listening to podcasts, attending meetings, or answering emails.
I don’t walk fast. In fact, most of the time I’m simply moving at a comfortable pace. The goal isn’t an intense workout—it’s avoiding hours of uninterrupted sitting.
My favorite use: Walk while doing “easy” brain work. Sorting through emails, zoom calls and the like. I find it hard to walk and do challenging work at the same time. I also can’t chew gum and walk at the same time, so there’s that!
My Favorite Walking Pad from Amazon
2. A Standing Desk
Once I started using a standing desk, I realized how much better I felt when I changed positions throughout the day.
I don’t stand all day, and I don’t sit all day. I alternate between the two.
Being able to raise or lower my desk makes it easy to keep moving and avoid feeling stiff after long work sessions. It also makes it easy to switch my walking pad in and out depending on my work load.
Super Cute White Electrical Standing Desk from Amazon
3. My Desk Elliptical
One of my favorite discoveries has been a desk elliptical.
It allows me to keep my legs moving while I work, especially during tasks that don’t require a lot of concentration.
The movement is gentle, but over the course of a day it adds up. It’s a simple way to stay active without needing to carve out extra time for exercise. It’s perfect for a zoom call when you don’t want the attendees to see you walking on your walking pad.
My Desk Elliptical from Amazon
4. A Large Water Bottle
This might sound unrelated to fitness, but staying hydrated helps me feel better and move more.
There’s also an unexpected benefit: drinking more water means more trips across the house, which creates natural movement breaks throughout the day.
My favorite water bottle stays on my desk as a reminder to keep drinking. I know it’s trendy, but the colors are very cute.
5. Tracking My Steps
One of the biggest motivators for me has been tracking my daily steps.
I’m currently a fan of step challenges because they encourage consistency. Some days I feel like going for a longer walk. Other days I simply focus on reaching my minimum goal.
The important thing is showing up consistently rather than trying to be perfect.
I’ve had an Apple Watch forever. You can find it here: Apple Watch on Amazon
But I’ve switched to a Garmin Venu 4. It is a bit more expensive and I am still learning how to use it. My husband had points at Cabela’s and gave it to me as a gift. I like the look of it better than the apple watch. It is round and looks more like a traditional watch. You can pick your watch face, and it has many exercise trackers. My favorite is the tracking for our e-assist bikes. Apple did not have that one. One downside, the apple watch would detect you were walking and ask if you wanted to start tracking. If you forget on the Garmin there is no reminder. But I find the interface on my phone is better on the Garmin.
You can find the Garmin Venu at Amazon
My Simple Philosophy
I’ve learned that staying active doesn’t have to mean spending hours in the gym.
A few extra steps here.
A short walk there.
Standing instead of sitting.
Moving while working.
These small habits have helped me build a healthier lifestyle without completely rearranging my schedule.
My goal isn’t perfection.
It’s building a life I enjoy—one step at a time.