How to Stay Fit (and Sane) While Working from Home

In our normal working lives, most of us don't have the freedom to head out for a run at any given moment—instead, we have to set aside time for this activity and make it happen. It's easy to be lulled into the belief that working from home will leave you with tons of extra time and flexibility in your schedule. However, your body and mind will thank you if you take the time to plan and set a routine. Choose a time you will run each day, and stick to it - don't just rely on getting in your workouts whenever the mood strikes you.

Set your day up right with morning yoga and/or meditation. A morning routine specifically designed to relax your body and mind can help improve focus, energy, and feelings of positivity throughout the day. On top of helping us fix imbalances in the body, yoga can be a great workout too. In a time where things seem to be going wrong all around us, taking a few moments to destress and practice gratitude can make a world of difference.

Have a break in between meetings? Find yourself staring at the screen while productivity flounders? Try taking a short run break. This could be running around the block or getting in a quick mile. You can even try making it a challenge by repeating the same timed loop multiple times throughout the day or week. Don't feel like running more? Just a quick walk may be enough to reset your focus, provide your muscles with much-needed movement, and break up all that screen time. Either way, you will be able to come back from your run with your blood pumping and, hopefully, some creative juices flowing as well. (BONUS: Showering afterward is no longer necessary.)

Even in social isolation, it can be fun to collaborate with others. You are likely communicating with a team of co-workers online, doing a challenge (that's not work-related) together can help you feel less alone and boost everyone's mood. Set an alarm for certain parts of the day during which the whole group pauses what they are doing to do a set of push-ups, crunches, or planks. Or to make a game out of it, set a code word that anyone can call out throughout the day to initiate the workout break. (Be careful with this idea as you may find your fitness-crazy coworkers calling out this word more than you may like!)

Being stuck at home may have you sitting more than ever before, and this can cause tightness in all kinds of places - particularly your hip flexors, hamstrings, neck, and back. Break up your workday with regular stretching sessions, or even bring out that foam roller for some intentional work on trigger spots. Your body will thank you for it!

Running can be hard on the body, and we have to admit that, as runners, many of us ignore little aches and pains just so we don't have to stop running. With many of our races cancelled and running plans changed, now is a great time to refocus and work on those nagging running injuries that we usually ignore. Roll out sore muscles, allow your body the rest it needs, and take care of those overlooked points of soreness.