We all know we need to exercise. And none of us seem to have the time. Even I, who mostly work at home, still find it hard to fit regular exercise into my routine. But human bodies were clearly not made to be sedentary, so here’s how you can sneak some extra action into your life.

Take the stairs. Skip the elevator and climb a flight or two. Sprint the stairs two at a time if you want to make it aerobic!

Park further away. Cruising into the mall or the grocery store can have the added bonus of a little extra walking.

Do office exercises. If you’ve got a private office or access to a conference room, take a few heart-pumping breaks. Whip out a minute’s worth of jumping jacks, run in place (with your knees high!) or do some squats and lunges. Anything to keep your office-bound body from getting too creaky.

Deliver messages in person. Email is easy, but why not deliver a message face to face – and take a quick stroll around the office while you’re at it?

Hide the remote control. It might seem like the ultimate inconvenience, but having to get up to change the channels or adjust the volume gives your body those little spurts of extra movement that you need.

It’s true, nothing can ever replace real aerobic exercise; remember, our not-too-distant ancestors walked, rode horses, and worked the land. Most of us in urban settings won’t have the chance to do any of that, but any extra movement you can add ...Read More

These days, many people, like myself, are working from home (nearly 25 million, in fact!). It’s a wonderful privilege to be as free as I please in my own home, but there’s also the tendency to blend work and life so that it feels ...Read More

As a young girl my favorite time of year was the week before school started every September. Not because I went shopping for new clothes - a plaid skirt and white blouse were the extent of my “uniform”. I equated back-to-school with school supplies. A new binder with a plastic zip-lock envelope packed full of brand new pens and pencils - ...Read More

It's summer!

Now, I'm not sure England is actually going to have a summer (we didn't have one last year), but the rest of you can safely stash away the heavy-weather gear, unfurl your limbs and head out into a fresh, spring-cleaned world ...Read More

It's out there, somewhere. And I will find it.

It's a desk that fits me perfectly, that encourages me to sit down to get on with some work. It's beautiful, practical and somehow has a positive environmental impact. Beyond those criteria, I'm easy - urban or rustic, antique or modern, I'll try anything.

My first bet ...Read More

At home I work at a vintage architect’s desk that’s big enough for my laptop, a printer, colored pencils, pens and a small army of accessories and implements. I love this desk; every scratch, gouge and pen-mark on it.

But when I want to write (or IM) into the wee hours while lounging on the couch or in bed, I need something solid ...Read More

The phrase “paperless office” isn’t technically a form of greenwashing, but it’s the same kind of attempt at ocular wool-pulling that we all know and loathe. Fact is, the average modern business is built up around the office printer. Reports. Letters. Posters with “inspiring” slogans to perk up the office, like "Use Less ...Read More

Have you ever been jealous of a colleague’s business card? Remember the classic scene in American Psycho when a business card with a watermark made Patrick Bateman enraged with jealousy? Well, a simple watermark has nothing on these amazing business cards that act ...Read More

DIY is not for everyone, especially if patience and ingenuity are virtues that might not be within easy reach. From one who was not born with the DIY gene, I see craft-from-scratch as a noble endeavor. It is generally more efficient, uses less energy and wastes less material.

Whether they meant to or not, this innovative chair from the ...Read More

I remember when owning a laptop was considered a luxury. Now it seems that everyone who’s anyone has one - my neighbor’s six-year-old, my grandfather (who, by the way, forwards far too many jokes and chain letters to me. I love you anyway, gramps!), writers and investment bankers, artists and attorneys.

For lifestyles (and ...Read More