Wednesday Quick 5: Ways to Keep Moving While You're Working from Home
Introduction
Just because you’re sheltered inside, it doesn’t mean that you’re locked down. Whether you’re at the office or in your home, it’s very easy to get sucked into a project (or Facebook) for hours on end. Before you know it, you’ve gained 15 lbs, and your hips are permanently stuck in the seated position (so awkward looking). Don’t be a victim of your chair!! Here’s your “Quick 5” to get the juices flowing while you’re staring at your computer.
1.) Set your alarm to alert you every 60 minutes and perform a squat, a lunge, and a plank.
While in the luxury of your home, you don’t have to worry about what your office mates think of you. You dress in sweatpants and your favorite t-shirt while your hair looks like it was swept away in a wind tunnel. Why not take it a step further and perform a few exercises periodically? You can’t lunge at the office, but you can at home! Set your alarm to alert you every 60 minutes. No matter what you’re doing, stop and perform 20 reps of a squat and lunge. Cap it off with a 30-second plank, and now you have increased blood flow to tackle the following problem. Schedule this routine 7x, and you’ll nearly have a regular exercise routine in a gym. That’s 21 exercises…I’m proud of you already!
2.) Create a distance between the things you need.
It makes sense to gather all your materials first thing in the morning for a successful day… if you don’t want to get up again. You want to move, though! Grab your materials for one project at a time and force yourself to get up again later to grab the next batch. Do you drink water or coffee all day? Only fill half of a mug at a time, and you’ll need to walk over to the kitchen for a refill more often.
3.) Walk around your house during a phone call.
If you must take a phone call, you might as well stand or walk around your house while you do so. If you need access to paperwork or your laptop, display them on your kitchen counter while you stand. Do whatever it takes to get out of the chair.
4.) Schedule three 2-minute dance breaks throughout the day.
I know what you’re wondering: “Michael, do youuuuuu really take dance breaks?” The answer is “no,” but you might. Nobody is watching you, and you might look forward to dancing to Enrique Iglesias’s song “Escape.” Swaying hips, fancy footwork, shrugging shoulders…who would’ve known that Enrique was writing the soundtrack for a 2-minute workout session! You go girrrrl....or guy!
5.) Read your documents while pedaling on your stationary bike.
If you’re forced to read your documents or computer, why confine yourself to the boring stationary chair? Jump on the stationary bike to increase the oxygen to your legs, hips, and heart.
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of the “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver and other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Golden, Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
