Walking away from the grind of a 9 to 5 office job can be empowering. Whether you’re working remotely for a company or starting your own business. There are some major benefits to working from home in your own backyard.
Working in a home office doesn’t make you any less sedentary though. Most of us are still plunked in front of a computer. All we’ve done is trade one desk for another.
If anything I found myself sitting around more when I started working from home. There was no water cooler for chats. No desperate need to escape the busy office and go for a walk for a few minutes to escape the noise.
I’m lucky enough to have a private garden office at home where the only disturbance is usually the sound of birds chirping.
It wasn’t long before I noticed my waistline starting to expand. That was a sure sign that it was time to mix up my office setup.
I decided to switch to a desk setup that allowed me to alternate between standing and sitting throughout the day as the mood struck me.
That got me to thinking, would walking and working be the next logical step?
I firmly believe the answer is yes.
Switching to a treadmill desk can change your life for the better. You will improve your health, creativity, productivity and you’ll be more focused.
Here are 7 reasons to switch to a treadmill desk for your backyard office today.
How a Treadmill Desk for your backyard office Can Change Your Life for the Better
1| Better Cardiac Health
Standing up is a great start on the journey to better health, but moving is better. If you can split your office time between sitting and walking you will see health improvements.
Even walking at a slow pace gets the blood pumping — you don’t have to hit the trails on your mountain bike.
More movement of any kind can help to lower blood pressure, improve heart health and reduce the risk of diabetes.
You don’t have to run on your treadmill desk, Let’s face it – it’s next to impossible to type while you’re running at a fast pace.
Just by walking at a pace between 1.5 and 3 miles per hour 10 minutes out of every hour you’re adding 90 minutes of physical activity to your day. You’ll burn more calories every day and start to feel better within the first two weeks and you’ll be glad you have a treadmill desk for your backyard office.
2| Focus and Productivity
When your health improves you’ll find it easier to stay focused and that in turn will improve your productivity.
So when you start walking at your desk even some of the time, you’ll actually get more work done during your work day.
This is backed up by the latest research. According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, walking at a treadmill desk can have a notable positive influence on work performance.
3| Stimulate Your Creativity
It’s one thing to be productive, but that doesn’t necessarily lead to greater creativity.
Sure you can plow through a lot of basic tasks while you pump out the miles on your treadmill desk, but what about complex tasks that require an inventive mind?
In my own experience, I’ve found that being more active opens up my mind to explore new ideas. That’s because exercise releases endorphins, that gets the blood flowing and put you in a better mood overall.
It turns out there’s science behind this as well. In a recent study released in the Journal Nature, they found that there was a strong correlation between being active and being more creative overall. That’s another great reason for a treadmill desk for your backyard office.
The participants in this study came up with new and more innovative ways to approach tasks when they were more physically active.
Right before I started this article I was standing at my desk walking at a steady pace. The words just seemed to flow after that.
4| Improve Your Mood and Reduce Stress
Those endorphins we spoke about earlier, also tend to put you in a better mood and reduce your stress levels.
Let’s face it, working at home by yourself can be a lonely way to make a living — you need every advantage to get ahead and maintain your momentum.
It’s sooo much easier to take on your work day when you’re less stressed and feeling good about the tasks ahead of you. A treadmill desk for your backyard office can become one of your best tools when trying to keep your mood positive throughout the day.
5| Reduce Joint and Back Pain
I make no claims to be a medical expert, but I can tell you my joint and back pain goes away when I stand up and walk at my desk instead of sitting down.
We aren’t built to be sitting at a desk all day long. Our bodies are designed to be active and they just work better when we move consistently.
It increases our bone density and makes us better able to handle physical stress. Study after study continues to point to the fact that walking reduces back pain for most people.
6| Stay More Alert in Remote Meetings
You might think that walking while you take part in a remote meeting is a bad idea. I’ve found the opposite is true.
When I log on to a virtual conference from a standing or walking position I’m much more alert. That allows me to focus and take part more actively in the meeting. A treadmill desk for your backyard office is the perfect energy boost to power through every meeting.
Quick confession – I’ve had to fight to stay awake during long meetings in the past. That’s only amplified when listening to someone who isn’t a gifted speaker.
When you get up and move you’re more alert and it’s easier to focus on what the person on the other end of the camera is saying.
7| Hit Your Step Target
One final bonus reason to switch to a treadmill desk is because it can help you reach your step target! 10,000 steps (or whatever your goal is) seemed like such a mountain to climb before.
Now, I have no problem powering past that milestone.
If you find yourself struggling with your fitness goals, adding a treadmill desk to your home office setup may be the answer to get over the hump.
It really can change your life for the better.
Improving your physical health helps to make you more productive and more creative.
As long as you start slow, give yourself time to adjust and get into a routine, you’ll find the benefits hard to deny.
It’s one more great reason to switch to a treadmill desk today.
