Keeping Physically Active While Homeschooling
Trying to stay physically active while being homeschooled can be difficult. When attending a brick-and-mortar school, you have breaks between classes so you can get to your next class. It also never fails to be on the opposite side of campus or up an insane flight of stairs. When you’re at home, you can be comfy in your pajamas all day, sitting comfortably at your desk, couch, or out in the sunshine. So, how do you stay physically active at home?
Don’t sit when you can stand
Rather than sitting all day in your comfy chair, try standing with an adjustable standing desk (with a floor mat) for part of the day. When you stand during the day, you are engaging more muscles. This helps your blood flow, which in turn keeps you from feeling mentally drained. It is also great for your back, shoulders, and neck muscles since you’re not sitting in the same position for hours upon hours.
But how do you incorporate standing into your daily routine? Decide which classes you want to stand for. Maybe it’s that English class with a lot of reading that you need to stay focused on, or that math class with difficult equations that you need the extra blood flow to keep from feeling mentally drained.
You can also alternate between sitting and standing for each class. Whatever the case may be, just make sure it’s integrated into your daily routine. Make the decision to stand during parts of the day, then keep that same routine.
Start the day with a workout
Yep, you read it correctly: start the day by working out. Starting your day with a workout helps give you more energy for the day by kickstarting your metabolism. This doesn’t mean getting up six hours before starting classes and doing a workout regimen like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Rather, get up in the morning and do a few static stretches, some light physical activity, and then a little cardio.
Have you ever noticed how a cat will always stretch after it stands up? This isn’t because cats are lazy; it’s because stretching before moving helps your muscles prepare for physical activity. When you get up in the morning, do a few static stretches, such as touching your toes or lifting your arms above your head. Try to stretch a little more each day by including new stretching moves in your daily routine.
After your muscles are ready for movement, try some light physical activity. This can just be a few sit-ups or push-ups in the morning. Start by doing as many as you can the first few days, then add a few more repetitions every couple of days. For instance, on the first day do ten push-ups, then in a couple of days try to do 15, and so on.
Now, you’re ready for some cardio. You don’t have to go on a 5-mile run or hike up a mountain. Activities like jumping jacks or running in place can give you the needed cardio to start your day. Maybe the first day you can only do five jumping jacks but after a couple days you can do 10 or 15.
Starting your day with a short walk is also a great way to get the blood flowing and set yourself up for success. Even a short walk around the block in the morning can do wonders for your attitude, your circadian rhythms (your sleep system), and your energy levels.
For avid runners, consider setting your alarm for one hour earlier each morning. Run three miles Monday through Friday for a few weeks, then increase to four miles, then five miles, and so on. You can then start to increase the speed but keep the same distance to decrease your overall time.
The first week of starting a workout routine is always the worst, so power through it and keep the schedule you decide upon. You can include an accountability friend with workout goals to keep you motivated.
Schedule breaks to move
In a brick-and-mortar school, you have that break after class to get to the next class. Since you’re working at home, you don’t have to physically move to get to the next class. You just click a couple of buttons. So, rather than simply clicking those buttons and starting the next class, get up and move around. Add a break to your daily schedule between classes. Even if you’re super excited to start that science project you’ve been looking forward to, take a moment to have a 5–15 minute break. It is good for your physical health and will help you be more focused when you start the next class.
Incorporating these things into your daily routine will help you to stay physically active while doing schoolwork at home. The key takeaway is to be MOVING. Take a look at your daily schedule and add physical activity to your routine. Start your day off right with a light workout to kick-start your metabolism for more energy throughout the day. Be sure to set a timer or choose a specific time of the day to stand or take a break to move around. Just these slight changes will make a significant difference to your day.
Enlightium Academy is a private Christian online school that serves homeschooling families by offering a Bible-based, flexible, accredited, teacher-supported, and affordable education from the comfort of your home. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288, or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.