With many of us still extremely nervous about going back to the gym (and understandably so), it seems like the time to make peace with living-room workouts has come. For many others, it's simply lockdown weight that they might want to get rid of in the new (hopefully more promising) year.

Whatever camp you belong to, it's important to understand the little things involved in a home workout that will help you make the most of the time you give to it. Here are some things to remember that will make sure your at-home sweat session gives you your time’s worth...

1. Create a designated space

Makeshift never works. Find a good spot in the house, declutter it to give yourself enough room, and work out there. If you keep the space flexible, it can hamper the quality of your workout because you’re freer one day, cramped the next.

2. Get your gear on

You wouldn’t go to the gym in greasy sweatpants and a torn Hulk T-shirt, right? It might seem unnecessary, but the right gear puts you in the right frame of mind–and is also better for your body because it's tailored for an active session.

3. Stay hydrated

Drink a tonne of water post-workout–your body has lost enough of it. You should drink very little water during the workout itself, though–it’ll swish around your stomach and give you a cramp. If you must, take a tiny swig only once or twice.

4. Find the right channel/instructor

Take the time to do a little research before you dive in. Find an instructor whose sessions you’d like to stream or a YouTube channel whose circuits work for you. Having a staple person or format makes a routine much more effective.

5. Work your way up

One of the biggest mistakes people make in a burst of enthusiasm is to go too hard too quickly: Hello, hamstring injury. Start with low-intensity, modified exercises and build a little more every time you feel ready. You have no instructors standing over your shoulder, so you need to monitor yourself intelligently.

6. Don't invest in equipment right away

More home treadmills that have been lost to hanging laundry than actually being used, I promise you. There are enough equipment-free workouts out there to last a lifetime–and once you’ve really made it part of your routine, you can start buying equipment you’ll find yourself needing.

7. Listen to your body

Some days, you’ll be able to crush a one-hour HIIT sesh–others you’ll barely be able to make it to 20 minutes without a near coronary. Pay attention to your body’s cues; what it can and can’t handle just then. There’s zero shame in modifying if you’re still working out.

8. Find a time and stick to it

If you do it when you ‘have time, you’ll never do it. You’ll never have time, you’ll have to actively make it–slot out 30-45 minutes every day that you will do nothing else in, and you’ll find yourself being far more regular. Mornings are always better if you can swing them–it gets out of the way and frees up your day.

9. Put your phone away

There will always be notifications and work calls, but choose to put your phone on silent mode to really focus. The more tempted you are to take a quick break to check Instagram, the less you’ll get out of your session.

10. Factor in your surface

A lot of channels have their trainers using wooden floors, which are easier on the knees and less cold. If you have a cement floor, consider using a thicker mat–it’ll be easier on your joints in general.

11. Mix up your workouts

Not every day, if you don’t want to–but certainly every so oft. You may have found a great daily circuit that works for you, but your body is likely to get used to it in time–which means it won’t have the same impact. Rotate between strength training, cardio, HIIT, pilates, and such when you can.

12. Set a (reasonable) goal

Working out into the abyss may seem a bleak prospect–but it never is because you want something out of it. Define what that ‘something’ is–duration, weight loss, strength–and set a goal you know you can achieve without pushing yourself too hard.