Working from home can blur the lines between work and life. It can also lead to a busy schedule of back to back meetings on Zoom or Teams. All of which can make it challenging to maintain your exercise routine. And keep a clear head throughout each busy day.
Here's a quick strategy that will help all those working from home increase effectiveness and performance. It's equally applicable for days in the office or hybrid working.
It's a simple technique to help you fit in some training and also make sure you get the best out of the day.
Here's how you do it.
Set your alarm for 15 minutes early, get up, get your kit on and walk / run around the block.
During your walk / run, visualise exactly how you want the day to go. What you want to achieve, what you will negotiate, how you need to behave, what your best methods of communication are. Return home, get ready as usual and get to work.
At the end of the day, no matter how late, get your kit on and walk / run round the block again, this time reviewing how things went. Consider, what did you learn and what do you need to action tomorrow to get the most out of today’s efforts? Then clear your head as you approach home. When you're back, note down any important observations / action points and then relax for the evening.
Obviously you can modify the type of exercise that you do - cycling instead of walking /running, indoor instead of outdoor if you have access to a treadmill, Peleton or rowing machine - but focus on using your exercise time to optimise the efficiency and effectiveness of the rest of the day rather than thinking that your exercise has to get in the way of your daily productivity.
A burst of exercise at the beginning of the day will flood your brain with oxygen, boosting creativity and setting you up for the day.
Getting active at the end of the day will clear your head and reduce stress levels ready for a good night's sleep.