Consider Using a Standing Desk!
Over ten years ago I was visiting the newly renovated office of a premium finance company. The renovations were specifically designed to encourage interaction among employees and enhance the company culture.
Each desk was custom designed and had a button that allowed the user to increase the height of the desk — using an electric motor — so they could stand while they worked. The electric motor made it easy to adjust the height of the desk at any time.
This was the first time I’d seen a standing desk used in an office environment. I was intrigued.
I did not think again about having a standing desk until a couple of years ago when I started reading material about the health issues with sitting all day and the benefits of using a standing desk. As a professional speaker, I often spent hours standing in front of a group presenting. So, I was used to being on my feet.
I began searching for a sensible standing desk option for my office. I do not see clients in my office, so it is bare bones. I did not want to spend a significant amount of money on a standing desk. Some models I looked at cost over $2,000. They certainly were nice, but unnecessary.
I ended up purchasing a height-adjustable standing desk from VARIDESK. There were several reasons I decided on this type of standing desk.
The cost was reasonable: For $400-$500 plus shipping you can add a standing desk option to an existing office. This is quite a bit less expensive than the other options I explored.
Fully adjustable: The desk is easily adjustable from sitting height to standing height. This gives you more options during your workday.
Better than homemade: I had explored the possibility of making my own standing desk. I even looked at IKEA for lower cost options. However, in the end, it made more sense for me to purchase a solution.
I’ve been using the VARIDESK for over a year now and continue to be impressed with its quality and solid feel.
Some of the benefits I’ve experienced by standing while working include:
My shoulders do not hurt anymore — I was having quite a few problems with my shoulders and neck from sitting in a desk chair all day. This pain has gone away with my standing desk.
More energy — I feel more energized from being on my feet. This is especially apparent to me when I am talking on the phone and/or giving a webinar. It is much easier for me to get into “presentation mode” when I am standing than when I am sitting. I feel like that higher level of energy allows me to communicate better in non-face-to-face situations.
More focus — I tend to think and concentrate better when I can move. I am standing and pacing while writing this article and using Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition software to “type” the content.
If you go online and search for “benefits of standing desk” you will see some articles talking about the benefits and the negatives of using a standing desk. I do believe there are health benefits to using a standing desk, but like anything, it can be overdone.
I do recommend you explore the option of adding a standing desk to your office or workstation. For me, VARIDESK has been a great choice, and I recommend it.
If you want to explore the do-it-yourself route, Bob Vila has an article on standing desk projects that you may find helpful.
Do you use a standing desk? If not, why not? If yes, what have been the benefits you have experienced? Let me know.
Steve,
I bought a standing desk from Varidesk about 3-months ago and like it a lot. I had also heard of the health issues that could come from sitting too long and thought it was time to do something about it.
What I usually do is alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day, spending about 1/2 of my day standing up.
I would also agree that while standing I have a bit more focus on that task at hand and think a bit more freely than when sitting.
If anyone reading this spends most of their time sitting at a workstation, I highly recommend trying a standing desk. It might not me for everyone, but it works well for me.
Hi, Mike. Do you use their app (or another) to remind you to change your position during the day?
I have been using a standing desk for about 18 months now and it is awesome! No more back or shoulder pain at the end of the work day and no longer bothered by the “afternoon slump”. With “standing” conversations matters are discussed and then everyone moves on – decreasing the time spent on small talk and resulting in increased productivity.
I purchased a standing desk for my office and love it. I was having a lot of lower back and hip pain for sitting too much after working in various offices for 25+years. It has been a great help to me. I can stand or sit depending on how I feel each day. We now have two other employees with standing desks, who also had serious back/hip issues and both are much happier now and really enjoying the flexibility.
We have one with the VariDesk and the other two are Winston Workstations – we really like these because it has a mounting arm for the dual monitors and allows more flexibility in the monitor height independent of the work surface, but both are great options.
Anne-Marie, thanks for your comment and the suggestion of looking at the Winston workstations as an option. I already had a mounting arm for my dual monitors so that was not a consideration in my purchase decision. I can see where the Winston workstations could be helpful because they incorporate the monitor mounting arms.
Hey Steve!
Great article! We recently opened a new office and purchased stand up desk for the entire office. Of course, now we have employees from our other offices asking for the same. So we have been evaluating other options such as the one you present. One question on that one, do you have any problems adjusting the desk with the 2 monitors? We were concerned they might tip over while trying to adjust the desk.
Thanks!
Jeff
Jeff, I don’t normally adjust the height of my standing desk during the day. In my tests the Varidesk was solid and the spring mechanism made it easy to adjust from sitting to standing.
We have an agent who ordered and received the VariDesk just a few weeks ago. She really likes it, but finds that with the dual monitors on a dual monitor stand (as pictured here), it can be a bit heavy to lift into the standing position.
I agree. I typically don’t change the position but have a stool that I can pull up when I do want to sit.
Joey, the best way to get a feel for the potential benefits is to read some of the other comments that people have left about their use of standing desks. While it may not be right for everyone, I certainly feel it’s worth exploring as an option. You might try a home-built version first to see how you like it and then decide whether you want to invest in a commercial version.