I won't stand for this...

Recently I have switched to a standing desk at work. There was a betting pool started on how long before I would give up and switch back, but I do believe I have already beat the over/under of two weeks.

A while back some people I know started standing desks. There are lots of studies and documentation on the health benefits, you can google for yourself if interested. I have long been concerned about the effect of sitting as much as I do. So, I grabbed one of the wooden desks we use for patron walk up catalog terminals, moved my old desk into storage (just in case I needed it back!) and jumped in.

Lots of curious onlookers have stopped by my desk to ask, "so...how do you like it?" Well, here in a nut-shell (why would anyone put something in a nut-shell anyway?) is my take on the first few weeks of a standing desk:

The Good:

-I don't feel the aches and pains I had from 8 hours a day in a chair. My legs feel less cramped, my shoulders don't ache, and so on.

-I find that standing has caused me to interact with people in the office more. Since I am already up it is easier to move about the office and talk to people instead of lazily firing off an email to someone who is ten feet away. Count that a plus for me, and a minus for the poor saps in my office...

-I can focus more. Distractions are easier to ignore since I feel like I have to complete a task and move on to something else before my feet begin to hurt from standing in one place too long.

-I'm not sure I have experienced any health benefits. Might be too early to give a verdict on that. I have however managed to change the aches and pains, so maybe after some time they may all clear up? Maybe...

The Bad:

-New aches and pains. My feet hurt since I am not used to standing so much. When I worked retail, 10 plus hours a day on my feet was a cake walk. Since I have not done that in seven plus years, I assume I just need to rebuild muscles and strength needed for standing.

-Long tasks require sitting still. If I am involved in something complex and time consuming I need to sit at times. I battle that by having a sitting desk right behind me for breaks and complex work.

-I work in a fishbowl. I have no office door, matter of fact I even share my cubicle with students since we are out of space. Lots of people like to come talk to me about my desk. For me it's not much of a bother since I am social and like to share my experiences anyway, but I don't think I would count this in the "good" column. I did have to make up my mind on whether I wanted to deal with "standing out" in my office. Yeah, I went there...

-Collaboration with office mates can be difficult for them since they have to stand when at my desk. Not my problem really, but something that should be condisdered if you are thinking about trying this.

To recap:
This is not for everyone. Comfy shoes are a must. Give yourself the option to sit, not sure I would stick with this if I couldn't. Be prepared to explain/defend. Save your old desk so you can go back. No shame in trying something only to find out it's not for you. Give it a try! What have you got to lose?

For consideration:
If you have a cheap or free option like I was lucky enough to, just give it a try. No investment. Buying a standing desk is a financial commitment you have to weigh. Not sure where I stand on that...eh, ehem. Well, you get the point.

Make sure you follow good ergonomic guides and put the keyboard/monitors at the correct height to prevent undue strain. Have fun, and I would love to hear from you if you try it, are thinking of trying, or are already standing!