Why is Working from Home Actually Worse for Your Daily Step Count Than the Office?

The most ever romanticized working condition could well be working from one's home where more flexibility is provided, no commuting, and where comfortable space is easily accessed. However much delightful this working arrangement might be to the millions that live with it, the one most overlooked downside is that it reduces the daily step count. Many however experience a more sedentary lifestyle while in their houses, as compared to when they are within the office. So how comes being at home without anyone in sight makes people less active even when they have so much time available to them? Let's explore the mystery behind this and find out how the workplace environment affects one's levels of activity in a day as compared to home.

Why is Working from Home Worse for Your Daily Step Count?

Remotely working shortens the amount of steps in a day by values that would make them that often you might not even know. Such movement comes automatically in the office environment by walking into meetings, getting coffee, or going to the coworkers. The home office doesn't have these natural built activity prompts.

Contrarily, simple even walking to the printer or the bathroom get counted in steps. However, the home is the best place where one seems to be stuck on a chair for most of the time, thereby reducing the total number of steps. Hence, this is why working from home is typically worse at step counts than working at the office:

·         Missing Natural Triggers for Movement: In the office, there are natural movements all day long-walking to the meeting room, chatting with colleagues, or grabbing lunch. At home, without these triggers, you may forget to get up and get a little exercise.

·         Easier to Sit: There's no accountability or peer pressure to get you off your seat for walking. So, you might sit for hours at a stretch without anyone asking you to get up, walk around the area, or stretch your limbs.

·         Longer Breaks: Breaks are longer and more frequent but for different reasons-most of the time in checking your phone, browsing the internet, or watching some television instead of really standing up and moving around.

Does Commuting Contribute to Your Step Count in the Office?

Commuting is probably not the best part of a workday for some; however, it helps boost daily counts of good steps. Getting a few steps in can mean going to a bus stop, walking a long way from the car to the office, or even walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. So obviously, there are some added steps for you involved in commuting; not to mention, such exercise is missing when you work from home.

 

-          Commuting to the Office: Here too, a couple of feet could mean a walking session to or from public transport or parking. This precious addition to the step counts that day is not neglected.

-          In the Morning and after Hours: Moving within a busy office, from a packed lobby to a department, keeps adding to those step counts.

How Does the Office Layout Encourage Movement?

The physical layout of an office often encourages movement, either voluntarily or necessarily, as in offices people often step out of their cars for meetings, coffee breaks, or collaborating with colleagues. Open areas and centralized spaces in the office create movement opportunities. Meeting rooms and other common areas would have to be visited by employees to access meeting rooms, kitchen, or lounges for breaks— these would in no mean be walkable journey segments over and above the baseline.

·         Collaborative Environment: A co-worker may require walking over to his/her desk for short conversation or clarifications due to office design. That extra movement adds to your step count.

·         Office Design: With cafes and lunchrooms in offices, they force people to move about. Contrarily, all an office has is confined to a box when one works from home, thus limiting mobility to take care of those needs.

How Does Working from Home Lead to More Sedentary Behavior?

Everything you need while working from home-from the computer to your phone, food, and even entertainment-is only an arm's length away. Convenience is often a disadvantage, as having all tools at home will give fewer chances for a break. If the home is small, you may stay in one room for a long time, reducing those steps even more.

And here is why working from home may exacerbate sedentary behaviours:

1.  No Physical Division Between Work and Home Life: When at the office, your working life is contained within the four walls of the office building. Conversely, at home, there is no clear demarcation of space, and one feels obliged to stay behind their desk for long stretches at a time, working through lunch and any other breaks.

2.  Access to Comfort: Home provides access to a comfy chair, usually the bed, and the couch. When tempted, working from any of these spots may not be conducive to much movement.

3.  Fewer Opportunities for Social Interaction: In the office, you are basically forced to socialize with colleagues, often walking to their desk for a quick chat or at team-building activities. Working from home means less socializing and fewer reasons to get up and move around.

What Can You Do to Stay Active While Working from Home?

Even if working from home limits your physical activity, there are always numerous strategies available to counter that effect and improve your daily step count. Here are some straightforward suggestions you can implement:

·         Set a timer to remind you at the top of the hour to stretch or walk around your house. Even five-minute breaks, contenders in the long run of a whole working day, can count up.

·         Try switching between a standing desk and a normal desk; reducing the sedentary time a little would include shifting your weight from one foot to another throughout your standing time and counting as steps.

·         Talk and walk during your meeting, as long as you are not restricted by the computer screen. Walking meetings offer perfect opportunities for multitasking.

·         Go for a brisk walk, pump some iron, or practice yoga during your lunch or afternoon break; this relieves stress and increases your step count, helping you to be more focused and refreshed for the day.

Can You Compare Step Counts at the Office vs. Home?

Here is a comparison of how your daily step count may look in different environments:

 

As you can see, working from home can drastically reduce your daily steps compared to a typical office routine. The built-in activities at the office naturally accumulate steps over the course of the day.

Staying Active at Home Requires More Effort:

While working from home comes with its own set of benefits, it must be noted that it leads to a more sedentary lifestyle. No natural movements associated with an office environment exist, therefore you need to consciously put some effort into remaining active. Some little strategies could easily be best implemented: set a few timers in order to remind yourself to walk every hour, try out a standing desk, or get your fellow call participants interested by taking calls while on the go-to keep up with good step counts while working at home.

Incorporate exercise into your daily routine, even while working from home, to improve physical and mental health.