6 Easy Ways to Move More While Working from Home

At most desk jobs, you’ll be sitting down for the majority of the day. But remote work creates a particularly sedentary environment. There’s no need to walk from your front door to the car or train station. There are no aisles of cubicles to maneuver on your bathroom break or colleagues to stand around with at the water cooler. “We're just sitting there in front of the screen by ourselves,” says Mary Jayne Rogers, an exercise physiologist based in Albuquerque, who’s on the certification advisory board of the American Council on Exercise. This immobility has real downsides. “Prolonged sitting can increase the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure, even if you're otherwise active,” says Amy Bantham, past president of the Physical Activity Alliance. It also makes our fascia—the connective tissue that supports every structure, from our muscles and bones to our nerves and organs—stiffen up, causing ripple effects throughout the body that can impact our heart, lungs, gut, and even our brain, she says. While giving yourself some adult recess during the work day might seem indulgent, it can actually make you more productive. Even a little activity can help you focus, improve your m...