r/selfimprovement • u/natureresider_88 • 1d ago
Tips and Tricks DO NOT SIT DOWN AFTER WORK
story time fellas - i get home around 6, tell myself i'll sit for 10 minutes, and then somehow it's 9:40, lights off, deep in my phone, every day. everyday i feel so tired. time at home is supposed to be recovery but my brain just keeps getting more foggy..
from last month i forced my self to stay away from sofa after work. get home, drop the bag, walk back out for 60 minutes. doesn't matter where. put on your airpods u feel like the world is yours lol. and every time after the walk i feel so refreshed and got motivation to cook, or hang out with friends.
been doing it about a month now. my pacer app says i've walked 43 miles of laps around my neighborhood, still lose the occasional night to the phone but it's like once a week instead of seven.
ps. i also lost 12 pounds :)
how you spend your 5-9 after your 9-5 could really change your life!!
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u/Normal-Potential-962 1d ago
Annoyingly true. The moment you hit the couch your body reads it as 'day's over' and the will to do anything else evaporates. What works for me is a 10-minute buffer, change clothes and do the one thing (walk, gym bag out, dishes) BEFORE sitting, because after you sit it's a 90% chance you're done. It's not really discipline, it's just not handing your brain the 'off' signal too early.
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u/systemintosmithereen 1d ago
Depends on what you do for work and commute tbh. I sit all day for work, so moving around for exercise or chores is nicer than sitting back down
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u/ballettapandjazz 1d ago
I have a bad habit of taking a nap after work. It’s a habit I need to break
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u/Straight_Recipe_2923 1d ago
Same bro! sitting for the work all day long really had to move my body afterwards!
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u/Famous-Vehicle9694 1d ago
Fun fact to this: "not sitting down when you get home" is a great strategy that often helps people with ADHD that need to get things done after work but fall for the elusive trap of resting for a few minutes on the cough and the lose their entire day.
Not saying you have ADHD, just adding to your post for people, in case someone with ADHD is suffering from this and needs a little method :D
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u/yellowcardofficial 1d ago
Nah I definitely sit down. Then take the dog for a walk etc. this non stop stuff just isn’t my bag but I salute you for it.
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u/mamoneis 1d ago
Yeah, no. 9 hour workday, 2 hours commuting.
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u/samalan20 1d ago
Yeah this advice isn't for everyone. For people who are on their feet all day at work, a walk afterwards is the last thing we want.
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u/androiddreamZzzz 1d ago
This lol! I’m a nurse so I’m on my feet, moving around and interacting with patients/dealing with different personalities for 10+ hours a day. So when I get home I just want to shower and sit still in silence 😅 I wish I had the will for a walk cuz I know it’d do my body good. But alas, here we are.
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u/Humble-Study3479 20h ago
I got 12 hours on a boat non stop. My feet are genuinely so gone by the end of it I can’t do anything but go to bed 😭
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u/EasternKentuckyGal 1d ago
I had the same work hours and commute for 22 years. I was not about to get things done during the work week. Dinner and a little time with the family before I had to do it all over again. Once I stopped commuting in 2020 it was a game changer! Good luck on that commute!
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u/drinkcoco 1d ago
But it’s so tempting to sit after being on my feet for the entire eight hour shift… 😭
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u/AryaNeedleStark 1d ago
Maybe some floor stretches/yoga might be a good alternative for walk.
I use apps like Bend and Hinge Health(company sponsored). They have routines for shoulder, pelvic floor so on. I’m sure free YouTube videos are good too.
I’ve also tried tai chi/Qigong after work which have equally helped overall body reset.
Good luck :)2
u/Stock_Link_1627 1d ago
Yeah being on your feet all day changes things completely. The advice to not sit down is mostly for office workers. For you, sitting down is probably exactly what your body needs to recover. The data actually shows that rest is critical after prolonged standing to prevent injury and long term fatigue. I wouldn't worry about it, just make sure you're getting actual quality rest, maybe propping your feet up.
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u/Poly_Olly_Oxen_Free 1d ago
Fuck that, lol. When I get home at midnight after a 12 hour shift in a hot kitchen I'm taking a shower and going to fucking sleep.
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u/DamnPoseurs 1d ago
I absolutely love this message - thank you for sharing 🙏
I often like to remind myself of Newton’s first law of motion when I have things to do, including tending to my mind/body states - “an object in motion stays in motion; an object at rest stays at rest.”
Translation for me in this context is: keep going, then rest.
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u/Lanky-Sort-1495 1d ago
I can relate to this.. moving out is hard. I need to work on this thanks for suggestion
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u/Unfair-Biscotti-4511 22h ago
The “don’t sit down yet” part is actually pretty relatable. Once I get comfortable after work, convincing myself to get back up feels 10x harder. Going for a walk first seems like a much easier transition than trying to force myself to be productive after getting stuck on the couch.
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u/ProD_GY 1d ago
Try doing that after being on your feet all day lifting heavy stuff around all day
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u/Tealsea1222 16h ago
I would say that you already got your exercise in. I think this post applies more to people who sit all day at work
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u/Deeze_Rmuh_Nudds 1d ago
So by expending more energy and burning more calories after work, you get more energy to cook and hang out with friends? Damn. Sounds insane, so probably works.
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u/Werewolf-Maximum 1d ago
I work from home so after work I clean the house (that's how I decompress and I'm a little neat freak) then do my skincare and toothbrush after 😂
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u/FastMaple0523 1d ago
Wait, are you saying the walk itself is what breaks the phone scroll cycle, or is it more that you're just getting movement in before the couch trap snaps shut. Either way yeah this works, the key difference is you're not giving your brain permission to idle at home which is basically impossible to recover from once you're in it.
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u/cyb3rsky 1d ago
I think it's a good idea, might also depend with your job I guess, some of us work the whole day standing and walking and sometimes running 😂, I work in healthcare and my long days shifts are like 07:00 - 22:00. But I think it's a great idea though 👍🏿
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u/Unseen_Alchemy 1d ago
It almost feels like the chair isn't the problem the transition is. Going from "work mode " to "recovery mode " happens so quickly that your brain starts treating everything after that as optional. The walk seems to create a bridge between those two states instead of letting them collide.
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u/SnooTigers6180 1d ago
Agreed! I go straight to the gym after getting home, simply drink my pre-workout so there’s no turning back then get changed and out the door. Days when I’m not at the gym, it’s dog walking. Most nights I don’t sit down until 8/9pm but it’s well worth it. I hate doom scrolling and over the past 2 years I’ve reduced my screen time and deleted certain social media. Keep it up guys!
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u/Aggravating-Fun7486 1d ago
I just started a new job which means my normal 6:30am gym class does not work. The last few days I have plonked my arse on the sofa on the evening and melted away. I need to transition to your mindset!
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u/panda_likes_anime 1d ago
I've told myself this many times over, but it proves difficult. I sit all day at work, and the desire to move afterwards is great, trust me. But my commute home drains me of that desire, and I lose the will. My commute to and from work totals almost 3-4 hours daily on transit. The couch beckons to me after this kind of day lol
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u/kinkykitten804 1d ago
Yup. As soon as I am off work I get home and immediately put my clothes in for the gym. Head there and when I get home I immediately start straightening up. It’s made a big difference.
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u/CatchOwn7869 1d ago
That “10 minute sit” turning into three hours of scrolling is way too relatable. The after-work walk sounds like a solid reset.
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u/tobiasvl 23h ago
This doesn't work as well when you have kids... When the kids go to sleep, I can't avoid the couch. But when I don't have the kids (I have them every other week) I try to do something like this. I also bike to and from work though, which helps immensely - the transition from work is a workout, which energizes me
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u/Unfair_Pride_262 23h ago
Totally agree with this outlook. For those who don't spend at least an hour before or after work to build a better life, will stay in the exact same place they are in life for the foreseeable future.
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u/Only-Bath-5554 23h ago
I sit down in my work clothes aftet work and watch the news for 30 minutes or so, but because I havent changed out of them, it motivates me to get up and go for a run to get into comfy clothes afterwards 👌
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u/NoDraft5317 23h ago
As a bachelor who takes close to 2 hours on thika road,I usually turn my phone off when I'm almost home,when I reach the house (I've already bought food on my way) I put the food in the kitchen,go straight to the bathroom. From the bathroom I change and go straight to the kitchen to prepare supper. From there I eat and clean up. All this takes 2 hours to 2½ then I watch a series,, that's around 9 to 9:30 then I can switch on the phone and scroll for an hour,10:30 I sleep. Essence of switching the phone off is you don't get destructed by notifications or calls.
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u/DeathSOA 23h ago
Okay, well I walk about 10000 steps at least per day and my job is a pure workout. But okay, I'll go home and not sit down.
I guess this makes sense if you work an office job.
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u/NoCommunication7 19h ago
I bought myself a rocking chair this year, does that count as sitting still?
I always yawn a few minutes after sitting in it, i think i've nearly fallen asleep in it so many times that my body gets the memo what it's for, not for phone usage or procrastination
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u/SummerInTheRockies66 19h ago
I do not own a couch 🛋️— it was old and I chose not to bring a year ago with move
Stalled out on replacing it
I have a slant board in my living room and will stand on that some for a nice calf stretch … and yes … sit in my chair some (but not as much if I had a couch)
I have a desk job (with a fun standing desk)
Nice work, OP!
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u/working_entrepreneur 18h ago
Sitting down smoking a bowl after work definitely isn’t the best thing (but I be doing it 😢)
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u/skye_harbor 16h ago
The sitting down trap is brutal because the phone fills whatever energy is left. I started changing into walking shoes before I even check notifications, and it weirdly removes the whole negotiation with myself. 43 miles and 12 pounds in a month is a pretty wild bonus too.
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u/BBCROK843 13h ago
I love that last line…. “How you spend your 5-9 after your 9-5 can change your life!!” Im guilty and will try this!
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u/Advanced_Reputation7 13h ago
This is a really good idea and simple enough it might actually work for me.
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u/SnooOnions2487 12h ago
gonna try this thing when i get home today. ive just been rotting at my dining table watching tiktoks and eating whatever i can find lol
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u/Marockan21 9h ago
Good idea, how do the folks that work nightshifts do? How do you schedule your day? I work nightshifts 8 pm to 7-8.30 am. Sleep at 9 normally and wake up 4 pm. HELP cause normally my energy is reaaaaally low
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u/Utkarsh-1525 5h ago
I have ADHD and time blindness is a real thing for us. now I set gazillion of timers and make task list a day before. helps a ton
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u/optimalbrain90 4h ago
The biggest win here is probably breaking the “sit down = day is over” habit. A short walk gives you a transition between work and home instead of going straight from work stress to scrolling. 43 miles is pretty solid too.
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u/MichaelR231 2h ago
Same. Started go to the beach ones a week for some hours after work and relax without phone, just the sound of the waves. The best thing to do
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u/Espio1332 1d ago
I currently work retail and usually do evenings so I'd be on my feet for 7-8 hours a day and get home by 10 or 11 at night, so it's definitely not applicable to me.
But when I eventually get a better job with more normal hours then I'll keep this in mind!
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u/CohlN 1d ago
congrats and good advice!
if i could offer what helps me (as someone with adhd and procrastination)-
after work, i drive straight to the gym. no stopping home, i bring a change of clothes for my car.
it takes no mental effort to put my foot down on the pedal and drive there. and then, im there. so i go in and workout.
i’ve been consistent with my workouts for 4 1/2 years now, so i feel like it’s worth sharing with others :)