Once upon a time, I wrote a post about how alarmed I was to hear just how bad it is for you to sit all day. Then, those sentiments were compounded with an email from my colleague with this link in it. Finally, the breaking point for me was when I read Erin’s post about how she stopped sitting all day.
So, I finally stopped complaining and did something about it – I created a makeshift standing desk:
I’m a whopping 5’0″ tall, so I don’t need many inches to be able to stand comfortably at my desk. All I did was stack a bunch of textbooks up under my laptop and face the other monitor up towards me. Eventually, I plan on making a trip to Home Depot and making a stand (I even measured and know exactly what I need) but for now, stacked books works swimmingly.
Some things I like about a standing desk:
- I’m using muscles I wouldn’t be using if I was sitting all day
- It makes me want to walk to the printer that is farther away from my desk (well, that and it’s just a better printer in general) because I’m don’t feel as lazy
- I’m more energized in the afternoons
- It’s way more convenient for me to stretch when I’m already standing
- I can dance at my desk (!!)
Some things I don’t like about a standing desk:
- I find that my lower back gets a bit tense/sore by the end of the day
- I go to the bathroom way more often, so I can have a break from standing (haha okay, okay – that’s actually not a bad thing…it just means more time with Angry Birds!)
- With my current setup, I think my neck gets overworked from looking down at my monitor
So, my overall thoughts on the standing desk sitch?
Everything in moderation – it’s probably just as bad for someone to stand all day as it is to sit all day. Doing anything in the extreme isn’t always the answer.
I love that I’m being intentional and proactive with my health.
I hope that I am raising health awareness in my office – because I can bet that at least two out of the eleven people in my immediate vicinity will end up with diabetes or heart disease of some kind.
What are your thoughts on the standing desk??
