Any freelancers/work from home "losers" out there?

rowenaaitken

I'm a freelance illustrator and I work from home. My daily commute is normally from my bedroom to the spare room via the kettle and the jar of coffee.

If you, like me, are a workaholic how do you find exercising?

I used to go to the gym every weekday morning 4 years ago (when I was unemployed and working on folio and job apps), I want to get back into that. Once i'm into the habit I know i'll be fine.

What exercises do you do around the house?

sipseyab

I'm a writer and live on a farm. My daily farm chores (feeding horses, goats, dogs) keep me fairly active in the morning. Then I come in and work for a while. I usually do my "serious" exercise in the afternoon: Run three days a week, P90X six days,, etc I have found that I need to schedule my time just like if I worked at a job somewhere else. 7:00 - 8:00 feed, muck, etc. 8:00 - 8:30 breakfast and coffee, 8:30 - 11:30 write, lunch, exercise, etc. I have to schedule it in or it's too easy to blow it off. Plus, I have two kids who are involved in stuff after school, so the evenings are pretty busy for me.

Raddichio

I work from home, mainly so that I can be home with my multiply handicapped child who needs 24/7 care/supervision---but no heavy lifting or anything like that involved. It also frees me to help out my elderly parents with doctors' visits and other needs. Although I've been very busy, I've also been very sedentary. Finding time to exercise has been a challenge, which I'm still working on.

I find workout videos a great help, since I am tied to home with my child. First, I got a very simple weight lifting video geared toward older women (I'm 60) remaining fit. That was a big help in learning a few basics about lifting weights, as I'd never done it before. Then I started adding some walking videos for cardiovascular help. Once I established a habit of alternating these Monday through Friday, I started getting different videos from the library and adding them to the rotation. I bought a book called *Strength Training for Women" by Jane Pagano, and yesterday I followed its program for beginners for upper body (plus a few lifts listed under the intermediate program). It took me an hour, as I kept checking and rechecking the instructions, but I trust I'll get a little faster as time goes by.

I'm really enjoying trying out various videos from the library and like the variety it adds to my week. It is difficult to find the time when there are so many demands on our time already and the work is ALWAYS there when you work at home. What worked for me was to start out slowly doing just one thing a couple times a week, then adding something else until I worked up to usually 5-6 days a week. It's not a perfect system, as two weeks ago my daughter was in the hospital, followed by multiple doctors' appointments and tests, and I didn't do any exercising that week. But, because I had established a habit, I was able to pick up and get going again the next week.

I figure some exercise is better than none, and I'm trying not to be too obsessive about it. If you're trying to get really sculpted, my approach probably won't work---but it's a pragmatic solution for me.

cspong

I'm a stay at home mom with a 7 month old so I really never have any time to spare. Right now I'm doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, the workout is only 20 mins a day, which I manage to squeeze in during her quick morning nap.

LemonBurns

I am a Certified Medical Aesthetician and I have a Spa in my house. I work-out around my scheduled clients... I tend to run early in the morning (about 6am - even tho I am SOoOoOoOoooo not a morning person) but i find by the time I get the older one to school and the younger one to daycare and THEN go for a run, by the time I am done and showered it's like 11:00 - too late! I get a lot of last minutes "Do you have time for me today" calls... so I have to be ready at all times... after-all, as an aesthetician, I have to keep up a certain appearance, right?

In my house, there is a treadmill and an elliptical as well as Jillian Michaels DVDs, Power 90, Windsor Pilates and a few Yoga tapes... and I also have a gym membership - so I do ok. BUT really, with ALL that, why aren't I in better shape yet I know, i know... I have to give myself a little more credit, it's only been a year since I started exercising at all - and the ONLY reason I actually do it, is that I work at home - oh yes, I am a girl who LOVES my life!!!

iam_thatdude

I work from my virtual ofc 75% of the time. I hit gym after I drop oldest at school at 7am....if no conf calls I will try to hit gym a 2nd time at lunch. When im on the road....ugh

leebaser

I wfh some weeks and travel others. I find it far easier to get my walks in when I work from home. I usually go for a morning and then an afternoon or evening walk.

webhaus

I run my own business as an independant design contractor and work from home 98% of the time. I generally work some long hours which means sitting down for long periods of time. My schedule is a little different than most of the country, but it works for me. I usually get up between 10:00 - 11:00am and eat breakfast withing 1 hour. Snack about 3 hours after that, then eat lunch/dinner around 6:00-7:00, then a snack around 10:00. I usually start my workout, Power 90 or jogging at 11:30pm - 12:00am, rest for 30 minutes, then eat my third meal. I'm in bed by 3am-4am.

Since my morning commute is walking from my bedroom to my office, about 75', i need to get out every day and do something, or i generally feel like crap.

rowenaaitken

All great suggestions! Only trouble with dvds for me is that, believe it or not, we don't own a tv.

I agree it needs to be scheduled in otherwise it is too easy not to bother, and I do feel awful if I don't go out. In fact a month or two ago I was working so hard that I didn't go out the door for 6 days and only realised when I couldn't find my keys.

I will be heading to the gym this week so I hope to see some more results in the next few weeks and months

runnercheryl

When I'm working from home, I'll just make sure I get up and move up and down stairs a lot whenever I need something - I won't stockpile drinks and snacks, I'll make it so I have to go down and get them whenever I need to.

I'll also go for a run before I start work and, if I have time, again at lunch.

summer827

All great suggestions! Only trouble with dvds for me is that, believe it or not, we don't own a tv.

I agree it needs to be scheduled in otherwise it is too easy not to bother, and I do feel awful if I don't go out. In fact a month or two ago I was working so hard that I didn't go out the door for 6 days and only realised when I couldn't find my keys.

I will be heading to the gym this week so I hope to see some more results in the next few weeks and months

Ha! I thought I was the only one. Don't have a television, either. I now train in the gym, but I started with videos on my laptop. A possiblity? If not, check out the Nerd Fitness hotel workout (I think it's called)--fantastic and challenging and you don't need anything you couldn't find around the house to get started. Only 20-30 minutes, too!

webhaus

All great suggestions! Only trouble with dvds for me is that, believe it or not, we don't own a tv.

I agree it needs to be scheduled in otherwise it is too easy not to bother, and I do feel awful if I don't go out. In fact a month or two ago I was working so hard that I didn't go out the door for 6 days and only realised when I couldn't find my keys.

I will be heading to the gym this week so I hope to see some more results in the next few weeks and months

There are plenty of workout videos on YouTube. Just do a search for what you want to do, or check out BodyRock. Some videos are better than others, but it will give you some variety in your workout. Also your local library most likely has workout DVD's you can check out and watch them on your computer.

If you don't have a set of weights at home, you can get a resistance band which will help you do some strength training at home.

Zara11

I wish I had a treadmill desk! Don't know how efficient I could work on them, but if efficiency isn't an issue, it would be perfect

old article about this: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/health/nutrition/18fitness.html?_r=1

Raddichio

Zara, That treadmill desk looks great! I doubt if I'm coordinated enough to work and walk at the same time, though I have finally mastered walking and chewing gum.

I do try to fidget more when I'm chained to my desk for long lengths of time, but I don't think that burns much in the way of calories---just works out some of the knots in my muscles.

umrandom

I freelance edit full-time, and I find it incredibly difficult to balance work, family, and personal time. Getting to the gym often falls to the wayside. How do you all find balance?

I'm looking to find people who understand the full-time worker, wife, and mommy world. Please add me if you're looking for that, too!

cmurray234

I'm a writer and I also work from home. I am a tennis journalist, so my schedule revolves around which part of the world the tennis tour is in. Right now, it's Europe, so I work in the morning and go to the gym in the afternoon. But I also keep active because I can clean the house while the matches are on tv.

rowenaaitken

I'd love to use my pc to use dvds/youtube videos but unfortunately my studio has so little floor space (2 big desks and lots of camera gear) that it's impossible even with the chairs removed! Also I don't have a laptop as I have no need for one.

Considering getting some weights for some muscle work when I can't get to the gym. Trying to go on walks as much as possible, although the Scottish weather is true to form with sunshine one day and horizontal rain the next!

AthenaErr

I do policy research. I get out every single day - even if just popping out for milk. I get properly dressed every day. I do either 30DS or a 20 min run every day. I plan on starting a weekly pilates class once I am done with 30DS - then just runs up the hill for a while. I live in Scotland too - get proper gear and you can run whenever - plus weather is so changeable that you usually can get a quick dry slot somewhere.

DebbieMc3

My first 11 months of working from home, I gained 60 lbs. So crazy!

delikium

I'm a writer and live on a farm. My daily farm chores (feeding horses, goats, dogs) keep me fairly active in the morning. Then I come in and work for a while. I usually do my "serious" exercise in the afternoon: Run three days a week, P90X six days,, etc I have found that I need to schedule my time just like if I worked at a job somewhere else. 7:00 - 8:00 feed, muck, etc. 8:00 - 8:30 breakfast and coffee, 8:30 - 11:30 write, lunch, exercise, etc. I have to schedule it in or it's too easy to blow it off. Plus, I have two kids who are involved in stuff after school, so the evenings are pretty busy for me.

THIS sounds like an ideal life to me ...

april_beth

im a legal transcriptionist with one school aged daughter and one terror toddler. the only way that both he and i will survive this madness is that i take him to the gym with me five days a week. the "daycare" there is awesome and he plays with friends and i get my frustration out in my classes. it's a win/win...

delikium

I'd love to use my pc to use dvds/youtube videos but unfortunately my studio has so little floor space (2 big desks and lots of camera gear) that it's impossible even with the chairs removed! Also I don't have a laptop as I have no need for one.

Considering getting some weights for some muscle work when I can't get to the gym. Trying to go on walks as much as possible, although the Scottish weather is true to form with sunshine one day and horizontal rain the next!

you don't need much space for yoga

myfitnessnmhoy

I telecommuted for about two years (one week travel to my employer, three weeks telecommuting). Here are a few things I did:

1. I'd take a lunch break every day. I went out and bought a human-powered reel mower for my >1/2 acre yard. I'd do 1/4 of the yard every day.

2. I kept 5# dumbell under my desk at home. Whenever I was thinking about something or reading something, I'd grab it and alternate curls or some strength exercise either to exhaustion or until I was done reading what I was reading.

3. I also strapped one of those resistance bands to one of the legs of my desk, so I could loop a heel in it and do some resistance work while sitting there.

4. I stopped keeping snacky foods in the house, and learned to eat a satisfying breakfast, because my urge to snack really got the best of me for about a month.

myfitnessnmhoy

All great suggestions! Only trouble with dvds for me is that, believe it or not, we don't own a tv.

Neither do we (which makes us a real anachronism in American society, having a kid and no TV, but we love it).

My wife likes to do exercise videos. Fortunately, she has a small netbook, so she simply loads up the DVD, then goes to the netbook and finds the main computer's DVD drive on the network and works out in the living room.

rachmass1

I work from home.

I have one of those fancy trekdesks and use it about half the day on most days and clock between 3-6 miles on it routinely. Walking around 1.5 MPH now, started out at 1MPH. This is the best invention since sliced bread IMO and I love it!!!!

Other than the trekdesk I also have a functional trainer that I am learning how to use (not real good at it yet) and mostly get my exercise from walking. When my hip gets better I will be back on the mat practicing Aikido (my main love) but for now it is walking.

AgnesMangles

I do freelance work from home as well and can do DVD workouts at my computer in a surprisingly small space. Once I move my chair into the hallway I have an area of about 3.5 feet by 8 feet and can do the Jillian Michaels Banish Fat Boost Metabolism workout and also some kettlebell workouts.

As for finding time to fit it in, I try to do it first thing so I can shower and focus on work the rest of the day. If I have a super busy work day I wait to work out until after my daughter goes to bed. I usually work out 3 days during the work week and go running once over the weekend.

christibam

I *was* a freelance recruiting assistant until they hired everyone they needed lol. I just treated it as any other job and made time in the morning to work out for an hour and then time to shower and put PJs back on before I started my day.