Artists and people who work from home

Hi all........
I was just wondering if their was anyone out there who works from home
I am an artist and find it very hard to pull myself away and do exercise when I'm working
Generally the longer I sit on my bum the more likely I will make money
Anyone else in this situation?

Replies

  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
    I work from home. I have a routine. I workout before I log in. I take periodic breaks because I cant sit and look at the computer 8 - 9 hours straight.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    I work from home, In the beginning I would put them into my outlook calendar just like I would with meetings, now they are part of my daily routine and I don't need the reminder.

    But budget for the time if it's important to you.
  • Samby_v1
    Samby_v1 Posts: 202 Member
    Hi all........
    I was just wondering if their was anyone out there who works from home
    I am an artist and find it very hard to pull myself away and do exercise when I'm working
    Generally the longer I sit on my bum the more likely I will make money
    Anyone else in this situation?

    Excuses, excuses!

    I'm a voiceover actor, my partner's a session musician. We both work from home a lot. I guess it depends if you allow yourself to have breaks - you can do a lot in under an hour. Enjoying the exercise you do is also vital for motivation/dedication. Good luck!
  • Hey,

    I am a stay-at-home Mom who sells paintings and re-purposes antiques to make some extra money (I also write a blog). I plan my workout into my day like I would if I had made an appointment with he dentist. Every afternoon at 2:00, I find a bad-*kitten* video on YouTube, and get my workout done. I also have a bunch of good videos and workouts on my Health & Fitness Pinterest board:http://www.pinterest.com/tweedmom/heath-and-fitness/. Whether you decide to do it everyday or what, just plan it. Don't let anything cancel your appointment! :) Kick some butt!!!
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I only work from home 2 days a week, but since I have to get up early when I go in to my office, I have started just working out at 5:30 am regardless. I used to work out mid afternoon when I was bored with work until I started the morning thing.
  • puggglet
    puggglet Posts: 102
    Hey, I'm also an artist working from home, it's not easy! It's one of those things that you get fully engrossed in, but lately I've.found it harder to make myself work than anything else haha
  • Bukawww
    Bukawww Posts: 159 Member
    I have my own business making and selling soap, etc. I also have a 2yr old (as well as 3 older kids). I have no choice but to entertain her throughout the day (And feed, etc lol). I also make a point to throw her happy butt in the bike stroller BEFORE I start my work day. And then we always do something at night like walk to the store for tomorrow's veggies or a DVD etc.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    I work from home about half of the week (in the office the other half). I just work out early in the morning or on "lunch," just as I do if I'm in the office.

    I also have a standing desk at home, so "sitting on my bum" isn't a thing that keeps me from getting up and working out.
  • whovian67
    whovian67 Posts: 608 Member
    worked from home and offices.. you chose what you want to do.. it's all about time management and discipline
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Consider doing your workout at the beginning of the day, get it off your to-do list so that you don't have to interrupt your creative momentum later.
  • steviecooke1985
    steviecooke1985 Posts: 68 Member
    I work from home three days a week and used to do five. I found it was crucial for me to have a walk or something before I started work. I'd also try and be strict and go out at lunch time. It's hard, but the advantage of working from home / working for yourself is you can set your own routine. The hardest thing is actually following it!

    Oh and sometimes I'll just dance around the house for a while to burn some more calories. Have you got a fitbit or a pedometer? I find that really motivates me to get out of the house - or even just to walk on the spot while I'm reading a document for work!
  • phil6707
    phil6707 Posts: 541 Member
    I work from home
    It is a matter of discipline, do you prefer to make a few more bucks or to be in a good health?

    I exercise after the day of work (which sometimes is over at 7 or 8)
  • Alchemagician
    Alchemagician Posts: 27 Member
    I work from home, I get up early so I can get 45 minutes of cardio and a few reps of weights done before I start work; I finish up with 15 minutes more of cardio on my lunch break and the rest of my reps on my afternoon breaks.
  • Itskaleena
    Itskaleena Posts: 157 Member
    Can you stand while you work? You burn more calories and you can do things like calf raises.
  • Hi all........
    I was just wondering if their was anyone out there who works from home
    I am an artist and find it very hard to pull myself away and do exercise when I'm working
    Generally the longer I sit on my bum the more likely I will make money
    Anyone else in this situation?

    I do not work from home (though I have plenty of hobbies that are similar) but I do have a sit me down job. They installed a little program called WorkRave that I highly recommend. Basically it pops up every hour (or however long you tell it) and not only gives some good stretching exercises to do right at your desk but is just a reminder to get up and move around. Even if you ignore it 5 times a day that's 3 times a day that its making you move more than now. And its a free download if you google the name.
  • ThorMuscleGirl
    ThorMuscleGirl Posts: 5 Member
    Hi all........
    I was just wondering if their was anyone out there who works from home
    I am an artist and find it very hard to pull myself away and do exercise when I'm working
    Generally the longer I sit on my bum the more likely I will make money
    Anyone else in this situation?

    I'm right there with you! I have 3 kids, foster dogs, a business, and I'm a freelance artist (aside from the business - which isn't as demanding). It really comes down to scheduling it in. Some days, I get up early to get things to the point where I can step away to work out and clean up. Other days, I'll do it before my work begins. It just depends on what I know is coming. If I'm not sure, it's better to get it in early before I get sucked into Illustrator.
  • almc170
    almc170 Posts: 1,093 Member
    I'm a writer/editor and work from home about 50% of the time. Regardless of my work schedule, I get up early and exercise first thing in the morning.
  • starspecks
    starspecks Posts: 49 Member
    Double post
  • starspecks
    starspecks Posts: 49 Member
    I agree with everyone else that it takes self motivation and scheduling. I schedule out my workouts and I also got an activity tracker that reminds me when I've been sedentary for too long. The more I treat my job at home as a job out of the home the more organized and successful I am anyways. So it's really win win.
  • Ian_Davies
    Ian_Davies Posts: 122 Member
    I've run a my own business from home for over 10 years now and the first 6-9 months was tough. Elevenses happened at 9.30am, lunch was brought forward to 11, snacks were polished off and no biscuit was safe. I put on a stone in those first few months.

    However during that time i have learned that one routine works best for me.

    Waking early, 5.30am, training and then eating so by 8.00am i am at my desk working. With zero travel time that is easy to do...
    wake out, drink water, train, eat a grapefruit, shower, eat an omelette, start the day.

    The feeling it gave me and gives me now i am back in that routine is that before most people have started their day i have already achieved my most important priority - investing in me. As many people trickle in just before nine and it takes time to warm up i am already in control of the day and they are playing catch up.

    For me its a great feeling being one step ahead and feeling good about it as i have all those positive chemicals in my system from training.

    Time management and discipline are tough, i do fall into the trap of working into the evening so i always put my training first. Then work. You have to remember its not just time spent its the quality of the time and your productivity. You have to make sure you leave the house. For me I will cluster a series of the main calls and then go for a walk mid morning and mid afternoon and make them, walking makes me think more clearly and because i am only listening i remember more and am more effective.
  • JoshLikesBeer
    JoshLikesBeer Posts: 88 Member
    I work from home as a software developer. I live in North Carolina, but I work on west coast time because everyone I work with is in California, so I have plenty of time in the morning to do the gym thing.
  • I work from home for a big company in a support role, so people tend to be demanding of my time - like the world is going to fall apart if a spreadsheet is not whipped up immediately! They also have a sort of spy software installed on my computer that lets the world know if I am away from my desk for more than 20 minutes at a stretch.

    SO, I just put blocks of time on my calendar to get me away from my desk periodically. It helps that I have a FitBit. It reminds me all.day.long that I need to meet my targets for steps, distance, stairs, and very active minutes. It has helped me be much more conscious throughout the day.

    When I am done renovating my house, I plan to have a standing desk and treadmill in my office too, so that I can work while standing and walking very slowly. I also sit on a giant excercise ball rather than a chair. Every extra calorie burned helps.
  • MystifiedFluff
    MystifiedFluff Posts: 50 Member
    I'm an artist and avid gamer so sitting is something I do a lot more than I should. I've switched out my chair for a stability ball at my art desk and use it when playing console games so I'm 'engaging my core' supposedly and often rock and bounce on it. I also try to get up often (to get water, visit the bathroom, etc.) to help break up my stretches of sitting. Add the role of mom to that and it gets hard to squeeze in exercise, but I have a to-do list on my phone and make a point to do 30 or more minutes of exercise even if it's after my son is in bed.

    I've also ordered a Garmin Vivofit so that will (hopefully) help prevent me from sitting too long in a single stretch too.