This article was created by Jen Schappel for her KindBody Movement site. It was originally published in her HOW TO SET UP YOUR DYNAMIC WORKSPACE FOR LESS post.

It’s an honor having Jen share her great work here with Interweave. Her inspiring work helps clients “find creative opportunities for quality movement in their daily lives”. Check out her great support and how to work with her via the above links in bold.

For complete transparency, the author can receive commission from qualifying purchases via linked resources.

Designing Your Budget-Friendly, Movement-Friendly Home Office

Working from home is here to stay—for a while at least. As a movement professional, I feel excited by this trend and the movement possibilities it offers.

I know everyone isn’t thrilled about working from home (I see you extroverts) and some folks may actually be moving LESS while working from home than they were at the office. Life at the office often involves small breaks for socializing, opportunities to take the stairs, and the chance to get up from a desk and head into a meeting.

Now, my clients who work from home describe days full of back-to-back Zoom meetings, unclear boundaries surrounding work and personal time, and new aches and pains because their “ergonomic” equipment is back at the office.

The good news is that working from home offers flexibility in ways that showing up at an office may not. With a little planning and set up time, you can create a dynamic workstation that allows you to layer movement onto your existing work activities without any extra thought in the moment.

I like to stretch while working at my floor-sitting desk.

A Word About Standing Desks

I’m excited by many of the dynamic workspace solutions cropping up around the internet but you don’t necessarily have to splurge on a fancy standing desk to stay healthy.

In fact, if you’re used to sitting for eight hours a day, abruptly shifting to standing for that same amount of time may backfire. Maybe you’ve heard it said that “sitting is the new smoking” but I’d like to offer that “staying still for eight hours a day, no matter what position you’re in, is the new smoking.”

In addition, you may not be willing or able (due to financial or space constraints) to upgrade to a convertible sit/stand desk. Thankfully, many of the solutions I offer are low cost or can be DIYed.

These are solutions that my family uses and they’re not “one or none.” Feel free to pick and choose. Take what will work for your space, your schedule, your body, and leave the rest. Some of these options may be easier to swing with a laptop so be sure to consider what equipment you’ll be working with as you read through these tips.

Wardrobe

Did your office attire restrict your movement or your breath? Probably!

There’s something to be said for getting dressed each day as a way to maintain a sense of routine, confidence, normalcy, but dress comfortably.

Choose clothes that allow you to move and breathe freely (this will also help you get the most out of my other recommendations). If you need to look professional for Zoom calls, remember, there’s no shame in going business casual only from the waist up.

Lose the Shoes

Going barefoot gives you the opportunity to add more movement via texture and self-massage.

Consider adding a rock tray (a boot tray full of smooth stones or foam golf balls), a foot massage pad, or even just a racquet ball for some self-massage. You can use these tools while sitting in a chair for less intensity or while standing for more intensity.

Reduce Eye Strain

Your eyes want to move too! Setting up your workspace near a window makes taking eye breaks easy. Try setting a timer on your phone to follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes look away from the screen at something far away (at least 20 feet) for about 20 seconds.

Inexpensive Desk Solutions

Your body was made to move. Staying in any one position for eight hours a day is a problem. So instead of a sitting workstation or a standing workstation, opt for a dynamic workstation—one that allows you a range of movement possibilities.

You don’t have to go out and buy one of those hand crank adjustable desks either. A “breakfast in bed tray” like this one (or even the right size cardboard box) is all you need! Put the tray (or box) on your desk and then set your laptop on top of it for a standing desk.

Change Out Your Chair

Sitting in your chair may not be the best thing for you but it’s certainly not the worst, especially if you make your sitting more dynamic.

If you’re like me, you may focus hard once you’re in the zone and when you come up for air, you realize you’ve been sitting in a really weird way. Don’t sweat it. When you “come to” take a moment to stretch in your chair and then change positions. Maybe switch the cross of your legs, sit on the edge of your seat, or try one of the “chair sitting desk moves” down below.

You can also keep your body moving by changing out your chair. Chances are, you have more than one style of chair at home. Why not rotate through them as you go about your day? The act of shuffling the chairs around will get you up and moving AND your body won’t reflexively retreat into the same position. Consider adding a stability ball into your chair rotation to keep your body active.

In my opinion, a fully dynamic workstation should allow you to work from the floor as well (something your in-office coworkers may balk at). Depending on the height of your chair, you can place your laptop on the chair and sit on the floor or a bolster. You could also sit on the floor with your laptop on the tray.

Floor sitting allows you to add nourishing movement loads to your hips, knees, ankles, and feet in ways that chair sitting doesn’t. In addition, your core has to work to support your torso instead of letting it rest back on the chair. When it’s time to stand up, your body lifts its weight over a longer distance than if you were just standing up from a chair.

Depending on your position (standing, sitting in a chair, or sitting on the floor) you can add movement to your work time by incorporating some of these exercises:

Standing Desk Moves

Calf stretch with half dome

Foot massage (roll or compressions) with racquet ball
Thoracic extension
Texture moves (standing on rock tray or foot massage mat)

Standing Desk Moves

Seated pigeon stretch (shown in above image)

Calm your brain forehead massage
Chair lunge
Chair squats
Ankle circles
Pelvic tilts

Floor Sitting Desk Moves

Cross legged sitting

Wide legged sitting
Basically any way of sitting (check out this poster for ideas)
Seated stretching that feels good

Walk & Talk

Meetings have moved from the boardroom to…whatever room you happen to be in. Think outside the room and take your meeting outside!

If it’s just a phone meeting, make it a walk and talk. Pop in your earbuds and enjoy some fresh air—even if you’re just walking around the yard, going up and down the stairs, or doing laps around the room. Get your boss and your team on board—the movement will help everyone stay healthier and more productive.

Schedule Moves

Working from home can allow a lot more flexibility in scheduling. Depending on the other responsibilities you’re juggling at home, consider reserving your old commute time for movement.

Stream a class from the KindBody Virtual Studio, set up a 1:1 virtual movement session with me, or just get outside and take a walk. That way you’ll still have time to shift gears between work and home.

Conclusion

Creating a dynamic home office space that’s primed for movement allows you to layer physical and mental health-promoting practices that will help you feel peacefully productive, while managing aches and pains.

For more ideas on moving at home, check out this post and this post.

What does your home office space look like? Do you feel more productive when you’re working while standing or sitting?

If you feel like you need customized advice to set up the best dynamic work station for your space, schedule a free consult so we can explore a path forward. I also offer a Home Movement Audit where you take me on a video tour of your home and tell me about your daily routines. Then I offer recommendations on how to maximize the movement possibilities in your home, from furniture placement to habit adjustments.

Author: Jen Schappel, Founder of KindBody Movement.

Jen Schappel (she/her) is a licensed massage therapist, movement educator, and the creator of KindBody Movement. Through her virtual wellness studio, massage therapy services, and 1:1 movement consults, Jen helps her clients develop the confidence and self-compassion needed to manage stress and move well for life. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband and two kids, where she enjoys gardening, hiking, and 30 second dance parties.

This article was created by Jen Schappel for her KindBody Movement site. It was originally published in her HOW TO SET UP YOUR DYNAMIC WORKSPACE FOR LESS post.

It’s an honor having Jen share her great work here with Interweave. Her inspiring work helps clients “find creative opportunities for quality movement in their daily lives”. Check out her great support and how to work with her via the above links in bold.

*For complete transparency, the author can receive commission from qualifying purchases via linked resources.*

Designing Your Budget-Friendly, Movement-Friendly Home Office

Working from home is here to stay—for a while at least. As a movement professional, I feel excited by this trend and the movement possibilities it offers.

Now, my clients who work from home describe days full of back-to-back Zoom meetings, unclear boundaries surrounding work and personal time, and new aches and pains because their “ergonomic” equipment is back at the office.

The good news is that working from home offers flexibility in ways that showing up at an office may not. With a little planning and set up time, you can create a dynamic workstation that allows you to layer movement onto your existing work activities without any extra thought in the moment.

A Word About Standing Desks

I’m excited by many of the dynamic workspace solutions cropping up around the internet but you don’t necessarily have to splurge on a fancy standing desk to stay healthy.

In addition, you may not be willing or able (due to financial or space constraints) to upgrade to a convertible sit/stand desk. Thankfully, many of the solutions I offer are low cost or can be DIYed.

Wardrobe

Did your office attire restrict your movement or your breath? Probably!

There’s something to be said for getting dressed each day as a way to maintain a sense of routine, confidence, normalcy, but dress comfortably.

Choose clothes that allow you to move and breathe freely (this will also help you get the most out of my other recommendations). If you need to look professional for Zoom calls, remember, there’s no shame in going business casual only from the waist up.

Lose the Shoes

Going barefoot gives you the opportunity to add more movement via texture and self-massage.

Consider adding a rock tray (a boot tray full of smooth stones or foam golf balls), a foot massage pad, or even just a racquet ball for some self-massage. You can use these tools while sitting in a chair for less intensity or while standing for more intensity.

Reduce Eye Strain

Your eyes want to move too! Setting up your workspace near a window makes taking eye breaks easy. Try setting a timer on your phone to follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes look away from the screen at something far away (at least 20 feet) for about 20 seconds.

Inexpensive Desk Solutions

Your body was made to move. Staying in any one position for eight hours a day is a problem. So instead of a sitting workstation or a standing workstation, opt for a dynamic workstation—one that allows you a range of movement possibilities.

You don’t have to go out and buy one of those hand crank adjustable desks either. A “breakfast in bed tray” like this one (or even the right size cardboard box) is all you need! Put the tray (or box) on your desk and then set your laptop on top of it for a standing desk.

Change Out Your Chair

Sitting in your chair may not be the best thing for you but it’s certainly not the worst, especially if you make your sitting more dynamic.

Depending on your position (standing, sitting in a chair, or sitting on the floor) you can add movement to your work time by incorporating some of these exercises:

Standing Desk Moves

Calf stretch with half dome

Foot massage (roll or compressions) with racquet ball

Thoracic extension

Texture moves (standing on rock tray or foot massage mat)

Standing Desk Moves

Seated pigeon stretch (shown in above image)

Calm your brain forehead massage

Chair lunge

Chair squats

Ankle circles

Pelvic tilts

Floor Sitting Desk Moves

Cross legged sitting

Wide legged sitting

Basically any way of sitting (check out this poster for ideas)

Seated stretching that feels good

Walk & Talk

Meetings have moved from the boardroom to…whatever room you happen to be in. Think outside the room and take your meeting outside!

Schedule Moves

Working from home can allow a lot more flexibility in scheduling. Depending on the other responsibilities you’re juggling at home, consider reserving your old commute time for movement.

Stream a class from the KindBody Virtual Studio, set up a 1:1 virtual movement session with me, or just get outside and take a walk. That way you’ll still have time to shift gears between work and home.

Conclusion

Creating a dynamic home office space that’s primed for movement allows you to layer physical and mental health-promoting practices that will help you feel peacefully productive, while managing aches and pains.

For more ideas on moving at home, check out this post and this post.

What does your home office space look like? Do you feel more productive when you’re working while standing or sitting?

Author: Jen Schappel, Founder of KindBody Movement.

For complete transparency, the author can receive commission from qualifying purchases via linked resources.