Freelance Fitness: 7 Ways You Can Blow Off Steam on Breaks

Freelancing can be exhausting work. Sending reports, managing projects, and juggling clients might be considered a workout in itself. It’s always a good idea to step away from the desk and let off some steam–whether it be stress or just some leftover sluggishness from the morning–elsewhere. Nothing keeps your mind focused and stress-free like some good old fashioned exercise.
So, put down your smartphone, let go of your mouse, turn up the tunes, and get sweaty! Because, there’s not much more relieving than blowing off stress in a controlled, healthy way, right?! Here are some fun workouts that any freelancer can do:

The Posture Workout

It’s no secret that sitting at a computer all day is bad for your back, but you’re a busy person and using an ergonomic chair with an impossible center of gravity just doesn’t float your boat. No one looks good while sitting in those things, and if you don’t have your street-cred then what do you have? Darebee has the solution; The Posture Workout. This delightful blend of toe-touching and side bends will save your back and your dignity.

The Night’s Watch Workout

You don’t have to be a Game Of Thrones fan to do this workout, but it helps. (And if you don’t watch the show then please stop reading this and watch all six seasons immediately, thank you). We’ve all had those days when you want to blow off some steam and call Jon Snow for a quick sparring session, or ask Daenerys if you can ride one of her dragons for the afternoon. If these options are unavailable to you, you can always try our Night’s Watch Workout. Scrape out some ice shavings from your freezer, build a small White Walker in your living room, construct a wall made of pillows, and let the battle begin. Climb over the wall and karate chop that White Walker into a puddle. You’ll be sweating like King Joffrey on his wedding day in no time. 

The Keyboard Shortcuts Workout

Watching someone else type can be as frustrating as watching someone bite into a Cheese String; it’s just wrong. Let out some of that frustration with our Keyboard Shortcuts Workout. There are probably more keyboard shortcuts than keys on a keyboard. And let’s be honest, we love them all. Here is a list of the most common shortcuts. Start at the top and race through all of the combinations at record speed. Set the clock, flex those fingers and get tapping. You’ll work up a sweat AND you’ll learn something. That’s what we like to call the Freelancer’s Bonus.

The Morning Workout

Most freelancers do not have set work hours. Some hardcore freelancers get out of bed and start working five minutes after their alarms have gone off, leaving zero time to clear their mind for the day ahead. We suggest doing a quick workout in the mornings to help separate your pillow-time from your PowerPoint-time. Check out Darebee’s Morning Workout for some AM stretching.

The Eye Workout

Rolling your eyes at a badly designed report isn’t always a welcomed response during meetings, so let out your frustrations with Darebee’s Eye Workout! This workout will have you looking in every direction but out, so blink a few times and get ready to flex those pupils!

The D.I.Y. Workout

For those freelancers who work at home, finding the motivation to get to the gym can be tough. Don’t worry, pull on some yoga pants and try the D.I.Y. Workout. Real Simple has a great 15-minute workout for any stay-at-home gym rat. Use the stairs, or a big coffee table book, and get stepping. Throw on some tunes, mount a few wall mirrors, and you’ll feel like Jane Fonda circa 1992! 

The Body Weight Workout

When you’re busy buying the latest version of QuickBooks, or a set of fresh gel pens from Staples, you just don’t have the money to spend on the latest Bowflex machine. Don’t worry, Men’s Fitness has the perfect workout without using any equipment; just you, yourself and you. The exercises focus on using your body weight instead of hand weights, so you can still spend that money on gel pens. It really is win/win.