More and more of us are working from home now, with lots of us not returning to the office, or only returning part-time. Working from home might sound like a dream. You get to avoid your commute and sitting in rush hour traffic, and can work from your sofa instead. However, working from home can quickly lead to a more sedentary lifestyle. It might take some more creative thinking and some self-discipline, but it is important for both your physical and mental health to keep as active as you can even when you’re working from home. Here are a few tips to help you do that.

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Schedule Your Exercise

First of all, you need to find a routine that you can stick to that includes your regular exercise. Whether it’s an early morning workout before you sit down to work for the day to wake yourself up and get you ready for the day, or a run after work to help you wind down, build exercise into your daily routine and plan it in to your diary to help you stay on track. Read this for some ideas.

Get Up Every Hour

Sitting still for long periods of time is bad for your health. Even if you have done some exercise, sitting at a desk for hours can make you at a higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.

One way to limit this risk is to set a timer that will remind you to get up and move around for a few minutes every hour. You can do this with an app or a smartwatch. Some smartwatches will prompt you if you haven’t taken a certain number of steps in an hour. When your prompt goes off, get up, go and get a drink, walk up and down the stairs, or do some quick jumping jacks to boost your energy.

Sneak In Extra Movement

Find reasons to move. Walk around while you’re talking on the phone, or get up every hour to walk through the house. Walking can lift your mood, encourage creativity, and stimulate your focus, so it’s an all-around win for your health and productivity.

Go Digital

Use YouTube or apps to find lots of exercise options, from yoga to kickboxing. There’s something to suit all abilities out there. A lot of these workouts are free too. You could get creative and start a FaceTime or Skype workout group with a few friends or work colleagues who also work from home. Just choose a time, dial in, and work out together, without leaving your home.

Use What You Have

If you don’t have gym equipment at home, it’s no problem. You can do sit-ups, push-ups, yoga, and lots of other exercises with no equipment at all. Walking or running needs nothing more than sneakers. You can use items from around the house too, like cans of food or bottles of water, to use as weights if you’re starting out with strength training.