As people continue to work from home with the possibility of it becoming a long-term and permanent situation, we continue to find ways to stay active and healthy. There are so many pros to working from home with one of the most important being flexibility, but not everyone has been able to take advantage. 

As much as we say we want to schedule our favorite workout in the middle of our day, it's been said that people are actually working longer hours when working from home. So how can you try and stay active throughout the day if you have to miss a workout? 

Answer: Standing while working. 

Now, no need to go out and buy the most expensive standing desk out there. You can start to build that habit at your kitchen island, or create a makeshift standing desk out of books or boxes. Reap the benefits without releasing the dollar bills. Here are a few of the health perks you’ll get from simply standing instead of sitting while you work:

More calories burned

Not sure how your fitness tracker will measure this but at least you’ll get it to stop reminding you to stand. You can burn an extra 1000 calories a week just by standing each afternoon. So after lunch, come back to your desk and stand for the rest of the day. Burn the calories from that day’s meal without necessarily grabbing a workout. 

Ease back pain

Back pain is one of the greatest complaints of office workers everywhere. According to the ‘Take A Stand Project’, by standing for a little over one hour a day, 50% of those surveyed felt a reduction in back, neck and shoulder pain.

Increased energy = increased productivity

In addition to the above, the ‘Take a Stand Project’ also saw 80% of those surveyed felt more energized, more comfortable, and overall 75% of those felt healthier and more focused. All of these can contribute to more productivity overall in your day. Think about it: if you get your work done faster, you may be able to schedule in that workout you keep missing. 

Live longer

“Reducing sitting time to 3 hours per day would raise the average American’s life expectancy by 2 years”. That’s it. That’s all you needed to know. Stand more, live more. 

It is recommended that you ease into standing while working in order for your body to get used to the change. Like any workout, you want to start slowly and listen to your body as you start to get used to this new habit.