A new study suggests that for people working from home, simply taking more steps throughout the day may be linked to lower stress and better work performance.
Researchers from a recent study published in a health journal looked at 100 adults who worked remotely at least one day per week. The participants wore accelerometers to objectively measure their daily movement. The researchers compared daily steps, light physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous exercise, sedentary time, stress levels, and work performance.
The study found that people who accumulated more steps each day reported lower stress levels. Those lower stress levels were then linked to better work performance. The same pattern was not seen for vigorous exercise, light activity, or simply spending less time sitting.
This does not mean that regular exercise is not important for overall health. The findings suggest that moving consistently throughout the day may have unique benefits, rather than concentrating all activity into a single workout session.
For remote workers, the loss of small movements throughout the day, such as walking to a conference room or going out for lunch, may matter more than previously thought. The study indicates that these small movements can contribute to stress reduction and improved work performance.
Simple ways to add more steps to a work-from-home routine include taking a short walk at the start or end of the workday, walking while on phone calls, walking for a few minutes between meetings, and eating lunch away from the desk followed by a short walk. Setting a reminder to stand up and move every hour can also help.
The study serves as a reminder that movement does not have to be limited to formal exercise. Every trip to the kitchen, every walk around the block, and every lap taken during a phone call adds to the total amount of movement throughout the day. For remote workers, these small moments may be a simple way to reduce stress and feel better during the workday.
