How I Fit 12,000 Steps Into My Remote Work Routine

I Had To Listen To My Growing Gut

I’ve always been active—I played sports my whole life and did high-intensity workouts religiously. But COVID hit, and everything shifted. I gained weight (Platinum Status with Doordash, lol), my core got weaker from sitting, and I just wasn’t moving enough.

I worked from home, sitting all day on my computer, writing, using social media, or coaching on the phone.

I thought I was fine because I worked out in some capacity—outside or in my basement—but it wasn’t the same. A jog or hitting the punchy dummy in the basement wasn’t cutting it. (Side note: we had a toddler, so the punching dummy wasn’t the best idea, as it shook the entire house). It wasn’t enough. It wasn’t working.

By 2023, the impact showed up. I wasn’t where I wanted to be physically. That’s when I realized I needed to approach this differently. I needed to try something I’d never done before, partly because the idea of it sounds boring. But as I told myself, “I can do boring things.” Bring on the indoor walking.

1. Morning Basement Walks

First thing in the morning, around 5 or 6 AM, I wake up and start walking in my basement. It’s the footprint of the house, so I’ve got a decent area to walk back and forth. Before anything else, I can get 3,000 to 4,000 steps just by walking while also slowly and naturally waking up. No caffeine yet (that starts at 7:30 AM when my kid wakes up).

While I walk, I listen to audiobooks. I give thanks. I do speech-to-text and write thousands of words for my projects (social media, articles, presentations, and coaching materials). I get my blood flowing, clear my head, and burn fat— with zero interruptions.

As I said in a previous article about benefits coming in clusters, walking in the basement also triggered a domino effect. I started organizing the basement so I could have a clean, uncluttered space to walk. Now, the basement is optimized: my kid’s toys, our travel souvenirs, kitchen gadgets we don’t use daily—everything is in its place.

The better optimized the basement storage, the more clutter-free the house is, which is very calming and peaceful. It started off with steps and then elevated into a house and family-wide impact.

2. No More Scroll Spending

During COVID, I got into the habit of online shopping. Well, I had the habit of online shopping before COVID, but during COVID, it grew…big time. I realized I was spending money simply because I couldn’t see the money leaving my hands—it was just a click. And then another click. Then it’s here, like magic. But it ain’t magic; I paid for it.

Sometimes, when the package was delivered, my wife would ask me, “What did you order?” A third of the time, I had to open it to remember. Buying things online became just another game. It was a game I didn’t feel like playing anymore. Like football. But that’s another story for another time.

Now, I’ve swung the pendulum back. Over 90% of my shopping is done in person.

Let’s get back to the steps. When I shop, I park as far away from the store as possible. No more fighting for a close spot at Target or Whole Foods. They can have those spots! I’m good! I park where there’s zero competition, no stress, no kids darting around my car, and no shopping carts being recklessly pushed into their collection section. It’s peaceful; I’m not feeding into this endless rush mindset, and I’m accumulating steps by the hundreds. Between the parking lot and walking around the store, I’m adding hundreds, sometimes thousands, of steps.

3. Bookending My Workouts with Walking

Now that I’m back in the gym, almost every session starts and ends with 10 to 15 minutes of walking. More than half the time, I add a weighted vest or grab a pair of 10 or 12-kg kettlebells for a light farmer’s walk on the treadmill.

I’ve learned that walking is an incredible fat burner, especially over time. I used to think it had to be high-intensity to see results. But at 39, I realized that walking every day is more sustainable. Plus, it doesn’t wreck my body, so there’s less recovery needed. I can still work comfortably, be present with my family, and have enough energy to do the same thing tomorrow.

4. Turning Walking Into Another Game

This is where tracking comes in. I wear my Apple Watch, and now every step is part of the game. I realized during one phone call that I could rack up 1,000 steps just pacing in my house. So now, almost every time I’m on a call, I think, “Walk and talk? Let’s get it!”

Once you start tracking, it becomes addicting. You see the numbers, and you want to keep going. It’s like, “Oh, I’ve already hit 8,000 steps. Let’s push it to 10,000.” “Oh, I’m at 11,700. I might as well round it up, do a quick 300, and push it to 12,000.”

5. Walking Is Meditative

Walking isn’t just physical for me—it’s mental. When I’m walking in my basement, it’s quiet, dark, and calm. It’s the opposite of staring at a screen, which is active and bright. Walking is a natural dopamine and serotonin booster that doesn’t leave me drained.

It gives me energy and focus for the day. It’s my time to think, clear my head, and just be.

Key Takeaways for Remote Workers

If you’re working from home or sitting at a desk all day, don’t underestimate the power of walking. Here are a few tips that have worked for me:

• Find indoor spaces to walk: Whether it’s your basement, your living room, or your office hallway, lobby, or cafeteria, make it work.
• Track your steps: Use an Apple Watch or pedometer to turn walking into a game.
• Make errands count: Park farther away and use those trips to add steps.
• Start small: Even 10 minutes of walking in the morning or during a break adds up over time.

Walking isn’t glamorous or trendy, but you’ll look and feel great. You don’t need fancy equipment, a gym membership, or perfect weather. Just move where you are.

Keep going.