Take 30 minutes out of your lunch hour, it’s all you need to stay healthy.
For some of us, making the change to working from home has really put a wrench in our daily routine. We’ve also made some changes to spruce up our workspace with key essentials to help us be more productive and efficient. Despite some of the downfalls, there are some positives as well, like being able to do some physical activities during your lunch break.
Our current situation enables us to integrate some movement so we can stay in shape and take care of our bodies. In addition to the obvious physical benefits, it is a well known fact, that doing some form of activity in the middle of the work day reduces stress, and helps with your mental well-being as well.
That is why it is so important to jump on the opportunity that telecommuting has presented us with; time to incorporate some healthy habits into our daily routines. Here are 4 easy-to-do 30 minutes physical activities that you can do during your lunch break:
1- Yoga session
Rain or shine, nothing is more relaxing than a 30 minute yoga session. It’s perfect for at home practice since you don’t need a lot of space or equipment, and there are so many free online resources to help guide you no matter what level you are at. Yoga helps calm the busy mind which will help you reset yourself for the second half of your work day. It also helps stretch out any stiffness or soreness you may experience from sitting in a chair at your desk.
2- Take a walk or jog around the block
Nothing is better than taking a deep breath of fresh air to change the pace of your heavy work day. Going for a walk or quick jog can give you the energy boost you need to keep at it for the second half of your day. A good tip is to count your steps and maybe even set up some goals or maybe count your kilometers and see if you can slowly increase your distance without increasing your time. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself though, keep it light and enjoyable so that it’s something you can look forward to and not dread. The goal is to get your muscles working so you can have better blood circulation and ultimately stay in good health.
3- Go for a bike ride or slide into some rollerblades
For those who like a little more speed, hitting the pavement in roller blades or on your bike might be more up your alley from all physical activities possible. While a great workout for your glutes, legs and heart; it also can help you relax and give you energy at the same time. You don’t need a fancy bike opr blades to get what you need out of this activity, even second hand equipment is perfect to get you out and about.
4- Pilates or cardio hiit
For those of you who really like to turn it up and sweat it out, a pilates or hiit cardio class could be just the thing. Nothing pumps up your energy like a high octane class! Again, no equipment is really needed for either and there are plenty of free online classes to choose from to suit your mood and skill level. Pilates, a mix of yoga, gymnastics and dance, helps develop your core and can really hone in on particular parts of the body that you would like to strengthen. Cardio hiit boosts up your heart rate and is a total body workout.
Extra little tip:
Sitting on an exercise ball instead of a chair at your desk works out the muscles in your back and abdominals.
To sum up, any of the following 4 (almost 5) exercises can be done in 30 minutes during your lunch hour break:
- Yoga
- Walk/jog
- Pilates/cardio hiit
- Rollerblading/biking
- Sitting on an exercise ball at your desk
What kind of at home exercises do you practice at home during the work day? Share by leaving a comment here or on our social media.