Movement and exercise are integral parts of living.  However, since the onset of the COVID pandemic, many people have opted for remote work, which naturally limited their daily movement. Although you may understand the benefits of exercising, particularly at this time, it may be difficult to get motivated for fitness. 

But honestly, you may lack the motivation. From distractions from family members, TV, dirty laundry, chores to a sheer lack of energy sometimes, you may find it hard to get out of bed, leave alone exercising consistently. 

To get motivated, you need to have clear goals and a plan. Find a good fitness program to work with, but first read online reviews and check what other people say. Then get started, stay consistent, and track your progress. 

7 Tips for Getting Motivated for Fitness While Working at Home

Below are tips for helping you to get motivated to exercise when working remotely. 

1. Establish a schedule 

Most people work well with structure. It doesn’t have to be super detailed, but having a sense of what to do at different time blocks of the day improves your productivity at work and helps you intentionally carve out time for important activities throughout your day. 

Set a routine to get your day started well. Write down your to-do list for the day, allocating an adequate amount of time for each task. Schedule a workout session whenever it best fits your day.

It could be in the morning, over the lunch hour, or evening. It is best to stick with a given time of the day throughout the week. This creates a habit and over time, exercising becomes the obvious thing to do at the given time. 

2. Set up a dedicated exercising space for your home workouts 

It could be in your patio, garden, or living room. If you do not have a home gym, you don’t have to stress about setting one up immediately. Use what you already have or tools and equipment that you can easily access. For instance, your body weight and resistance bands. 

3. Find a program to work with

There are numerous online gyms and fitness programs you can enroll into for a bit of structure with your fitness. Some last 3 weeks, while others last up to 12 weeks. The programs provide you with specific exercising and fitness instructions for each day.

Before buying, check online gym reviews for various programs to identify the most reputable ones. 

4. Set your fitness goals and come up with a plan to achieve them

As with other areas of life, it is easy to stay consistent when you are committed to achieving a given goal. You will find it easier to prioritize time for your exercise sessions. Your goal could be losing weight, building strength, building muscles, training for an upcoming race or competition, etc. 

Then, come up with a fitness plan. Break down to the smallest details such as the type of workouts, frequency of exercising per week, how long the sessions will be, and the required resources. Will you incorporate HIIT, cardio, and strength workouts? 

5. Work with a fitness coach 

Even when exercising from home, working with a fitness coach can be invaluable. They provide you with guidance to help you achieve your fitness goal and are also incredible accountability partners. Therefore, even on days, you do not feel like you want to show up, knowing someone is waiting for you gives you that extra push. 

6. Be consistent

It takes consistency to build a healthy life. Consistency ensures that you see results for the effort you are putting towards your fitness goals. Start slowly and build up as you go. Do not start off with 2-hour sessions. Start with 20-45 minutes and as you build stamina, you can exercise for longer.

It is better to exercise for 30 minutes, 3-5 times a week than to do one 2-hour session in a week. The first strategy is more impactful over time.

7. Have realistic expectations of yourself

Some days you will have bouts of energy to do long, intense workouts. Other days, you will manage a short walk or some gentle yoga only. Yet, some days you will be too sore to workout. You are doing the best you can each day and that is what matters the most. 

If you fall off the wagon for a few days in a row, dust yourself up and keep going. Don’t get too caught up with guilt. Make the next opportunity available to exercise worthwhile. 

Conclusion

Exercising will improve your productivity at work and promote optimal wellbeing. Choose a program to work with or work with a fitness coach for best results.