It is fairly obvious that transitioning from working in an office setting to working from home can be a big lifestyle change. While it is a given that a newly-minted remote employee’s work environment will change drastically, their habits, mental state, and social conditions also have the potential to transform over the course of a switch to remote work. Based on previous employees’ experiences, this transformation may be positive or negative.
In one study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine that measured the impacts of working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, most respondents reported less overall physical activity and exercise. As most people know, exercise and physical activity are necessary for people’s well-being because of how they strengthen the body and mind. Because it is natural to relax in the comfort of their homes, remote employees may be tempted to assume a sedentary lifestyle. However, this does not have to be the case.
Lucy Lyle, entrepreneur and co-founder of Perch, comments, “It’s not burdensome to make an exercise routine while you’re working from home. Even if you just take 30 minutes to an hour before working to stretch, run on a treadmill, or go for a jog, it’ll be a boost to your energy and the quality of your work.” Lucy Lyle continued, “It’s about consistency. Don’t feel like you have to do an intense, strenuous workout from home. Just break a sweat and keep your body active, even if it’s only for a short time before you work.”
Other studies have named more time for exercise as one of the factors that can lead to increased productivity while working from home. Because employees do not have to commute or talk to their co-workers, they have ample opportunity to work out.
“You can see remote work as a burden, or an opportunity to try new things,” Lucy Lyle observed. “Maybe it’ll be the push you need to finally drop the excuses about not having enough time to exercise.”