Women who WFH, how do you handle sitting/being at home all day and getting exercise when you’re mentally tired afterwards?

27 comments

  2. I have martial arts classes that I take 4 nights a week. No excuses, I’m always there.

    I think being on a schedule to do something specific helps rather than just having to force yourself to go to the gym and run on a treadmill or something. Because who wants to do that, ever.

  3. I workout in the morning or at lunch, it won’t happen if I put it off till after work haha. I learned this about myself and yea hit sucks waking up earlier but I feel so much better if I get a workout in.

    ​

    For me, leaving the house for exercise has been especially key. I go to a barre class and that $15 fee for missing class realllly gets me out the door for my 6am class.

  6. I do a 20-30 minute workout in the morning before showering, have my Fitbit set to annoy me every hour to get 250 steps, and have 50 minute fitness classes scheduled Tuesday – Friday.

    If it’ s not scheduled, it’s not happening.

  8. I work short hours, thankfully, so when I’m off, I make use of that time. My partner and I are otherwise very active. Despite our incomes, we are, by choice, without a vehicle, so we walk everywhere and make sure that we spend at least 2-3 hours a day walking at a brisk pace.

    Other than that, I exercise at home, oftentimes by throwing on a workout routine on YouTube on the TV and just working up a sweat doing anything from pushups to jumping rope.

  9. I have an under desk bike but I don’t use it. I’ve actually found running before work helps my brain stay awake for longer. So if I run to work or if I run around the field near my house before work I feel much more lively. There’s been some [studies](https://www.snackinginsneakers.com/benefits-of-running-morning/) done that suggest it helps the brain getting that boost of oxygen in the morning

  10. I workout in the morning. I hate getting up early but after it’s done I feel good and I’m ready to start the day.

  11. There’s no magical solution, you kind of just have to force yourself. I go to the gym at night and on weekends and walk and do my own workouts. I kind of have to because I eat a lot but yeah. I think about going back to the office and feeling healthy and looking fit as inspiration.

  12. I do my cardio in the morning and then I lift weight after work. It helps keep those endorphins up throughout the day.

  13. Hitting the gym isn’t a mental exercise. It’s a physical one. Just get up and go to the gym. Your body and mind will thank you

  15. I just remind myself of how good i would feel after a good exercise. And usually I do.
    And i motivate myself by buying my favourite sportswear so that i can wear it out =)

  16. I go to the gym the second i log out of work. Admittedly my job isn’t mentally taxing all the time but that routine keeps me moving and I don’t settle on the couch or into doing something else on the days I want a workout

  17. I work out at least 20 minutes in the morning first before I do anything else. I find I’m in a much better mood throughout the day if I get movement in first to wake me up. I have a treadmill to use under my desk. And if I missed my morning workout or I’m feeling mentally exhausted at the end of the day I do a 15-30 minute yoga video which feels amazing.

  19. The mentality that im always glad i did it and often regret when i dont, its good for my hormones/brain chemicals, and its a completely different use of my brain and body compared to my desk job.

  20. I go to the gym before work not only because it ensures I go, but also because I feel a lot more energized for the day after a workout. Chores/household things are what’s hard for me to keep up with so I religiously make to do lists and mentally beat myself up at the end of the day if I don’t get them done

  21. So I’m lucky in that I can afford to work from home *part* time from 8-1pm. I go walk outside after work. Usually it’s 45-60 mins, but if I’m not feeling up to it I have a shorter 20 min route I can take. That’s the deal I make with myself – anything is better than nothing. If the weather permits I go outside for at least 20 minutes *every*day.

    I count walking as exercise (usually adds 2K to 5K steps according to my fitbit, depending on my route), but I it feels more like a self indulging treat or something. If I’ve had a mentally taxing day with work, going outside *feels good*. There’s a meadow up the way that I like to walk to and give peanuts to the bluejays.

    If the weather is bad, then I’m usually spending time cleaning (and getting even more of a workout). I hate cleaning and things tend to pile up.

    I don’t really do heavy cardio anymore. I used to feel daunted by “having to exercise” and I never really liked it. I used to have a YMCA membership pre-covid but I never picked it back up and don’t want to. Before that, I had a 9Round Kickboxing membership, but they shut down in my city. It was also *really* physically demanding and ultimately felt a bit unsustainable for me.

    I’ve been considering buying a rowing machine but have never been able to justify the cost for something I’m not 100% sure I’ll use. I just had a hysterectomy though and I’m definitely taking it easy for a few months. I really *should* dig out my free weights from the garage and do upper body strength training again though. When I was younger I actually really liked it. I’ve adopted a body neutrality mindset over the last few years and it’s been great for my mental health.

  22. I don’t drink coffee in the morning. I drink it at about 2pm. I also love to clear my head after work. I rip my pen a few times on the way and just workout in full peace 😌😌😌

  23. Admittedly I am quite the hermit, as well as my fiancé. I WFH, he doesn’t. I love it, but I also have a chronic illness that makes me weak and tired when it’s “activated”. When I’m feeling good, I hit the rowing machine. It works all the muscles so good choice for me. Other than that I don’t/can’t do a whole lot of exercise.

  24. I view work out as a break from my mental exhausting work. But if someday I’m really too tired I don’t beat myself up over it. We all need breaks

  26. I think working out feels great after a day of sitting at home. I just use a program on an app so there’s not a lot of mental strength needed to get through my workout, all I have to do is get out the door.

  27. I like exercise in the morning on my WFH days, however, I’m far less tired in the evening when I WFH. I do a couple evening classes during the week and I’m usually good to go because I didn’t spend 2+ hours that day having the life forced sucked out of me sitting in gridlock traffic. I don’t mind the being alone part at all because I’m pretty much alone all day in my office when I have to go in. I’m still not sure I understand why they make us go in at all.

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