Today’s Solutions: March 20, 2026

The office job has long caused many people to live a sedentary life, but in the remote working era, more people are spending more of their waking hours sitting than ever before. Without the daily commute to work or the walk around town to find a good place to eat lunch, it’s easy for people to go the whole day without any substantial movement.

That’s no Bueno.

If you find yourself sitting too much throughout the day, here are three ways to get more active while working from home.

Stand up and move while working: Replacing just two hours of sitting each day with standing can burn up to 130 calories a week, but that’s not the only benefit. Standing can also boost concentration, and may also improve glucose, insulin levels, and blood pressure in the long term. Interestingly enough, research has also found that fidgety movements such as foot-tapping or position shifting can help you burn more calories while sitting by increasing energy expenditure by 5 to 10 percent. Simply put, any activity is better than just sitting.

Take “exercise snacks”: We tend to think of exercise as something that lasts longer than ten minutes, but the reality is that activity of any duration is good for our health—as recent research indicated. That’s why you should enjoy some “exercise snacks,” which are just short bursts of exercise that you can pepper into your day. It could be as simple as climbing up and down the stairs or doing a round of pushups after filling your teacup in the kitchen. Whatever it may be, just remember that even a short burst of exercise can benefit your body and mind.

Exercise at lunchtime (outdoors if possible): More and more research shows us that going outside to exercise during the day in natural settings can benefit our mental health and cognitive ability. If you are fortunate enough to live near easily accessible natural environments, try to get out in the fresh air during lunch for a short walk or run. And if you can’t, it will still be worth your while to do some exercise indoors during lunch.

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

How robots and drones are cleaning the ocean floor across Europe

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Most ocean cleanup efforts work on the same assumption: the problem floats. Skim the surface, collect the plastic, ...

Read More

Hummingbird migration 2026: when they’ll reach your garden and how to get ready

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Right now, somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico, a hummingbird that weighs less than a nickel is crossing ...

Read More

Thrills and chills: how horror films can improve your mental health

The mere mention of legendary horror films such as "The Exorcist" and "Silent Night, Deadly Night" conjures up images of terror and revulsion. But ...

Read More

Irish town’s Smartphone ban offers blueprint for digital balance and ki...

The daily quandary of when to introduce smartphones to tweens resonates with parents worldwide. Greystones, County Wicklow, in Ireland, however, didn't just grapple with ...

Read More