One of the benefits of working from home is having the time to do yoga, go for a morning run, or an evening walk.

Working out not only improves your physical fitness but working out increases your emotional and mental fitness and can make you more creative.

If you or someone you know experiences limited mobility, it doesn’t have to stop you from maintaining physical and mental wellness.

I will be honest with you, when I started working remotely, I struggled with having more personal freedom at home, but not when traveling. At home, it’s easy to get stuck behind the computer and work no stop.

Sounds familiar to an office job right? Check out my post on Is Working Remotely Right for You? on why giving up the daily commute for personal freedom can be good for your overall well being.

Standing for extended periods can have their drawbacks by causing or exacerbating low back pain. Surprisingly, chronic back pain causes can stem from being a recreational runner and having weak glutes.

Most of us are under the impression that running works the glutes. When your muscles are weak, the quads may decide to do paper, rock, scissors with the glutes.

A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and experienced extreme pain and fatigue. For months I was paying for a perk of a gym membership that I wasn’t using. Eventually, I had no choice but to cancel my yoga and Crossfit memberships.

When I saw a physical therapist for diagnostic testing for low back pain, I learned my hamstring and low back would engage, but my glutes didn’t. It would take time to reverse engineer muscle engagement.

Workout Ideas

At my previous job, we were provided standup desks. Eventually, I bought an elliptical trainer to use under my desk when I was sitting for a low impact workout. My creativity and productivity went through the roof. The workday would just fly by.

Since I worked from home once a week, I repurposed a drawing table and bought an inexpensive standing desk and treadmill I purchased on Amazon to put underneath my desk. In the winter, if it was too icy, I would move my running indoors.

I have a second treadmill downstairs with fold-down handlebars to store underneath my bed. I repurposed a bathtub caddy tray that sits nicely on top of the handlebars of my treadmill. With a book rest to keep my laptop from moving around while walking.

I discovered the 12 Minute Athlete app and feel in love with HIIT. A variety of exercises to choose from and time clocks of 12-minutes, 16-minutes, or challenge workouts come with the app for free. There is a paid version that offers more workouts.

Thanks to a YouTube notification, I learned I could create my own at home yoga practice. Some of my favorite yoga instructors have their own YouTube channels and go in great detail on poses and are easy to follow.

I already had a yoga mat and strap, but for the HIIT workouts decided to buy two kettlebells and a jump rope on Amazon.

Every hour, force yourself to move around and do some stretching or strengthening exercise. Another way to incorporate stretching is during a commercial break watching tv. Here is a list of channels that offer free yoga, HIIT, and barre workouts:

• XHIT Daily
• KinoYoga
• Mobility|WOD
• Rebecca-Louise
• JessicaSmithTV
• Monkii
• Fitness Blender

Lower Back Pain Relief Exercises

Including stretching and strengthening exercises throughout the day will help you to stay fit and happy. Start your day with an energizing 10-minute morning yoga routine.

Throughout the day, do 15 glute squeezes followed by 15 squats. The couch stretch is a good exercise for the hips and reducing pain in the knees. If you sit all day, getting into this will be uncomfortable at first, but doing this exercise every day for two-minutes, your hips and knees will thank you. Watch Dr. Kelly Starrett demonstrate how to get into couch stretch.

Frog pose is another good hip opener to release the inner thighs and back muscles and can provide sciatica relief.

Don’t forget to stretch the piriformis as well.

For additional stretches and exercises to keep back pain at bay and your limbs more limber and injury free, check out my Yoga for Back Pain board on Pinterest.

Before going to bed, do a foot soak to soothe achy feet while enjoying a cup on AVEDA comforting tea.

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