Standing Desk Impressions – First Week

Some of you may have seen a photo or know that I have been trying out standing at my desk recently. Here are some of my thoughts after a week.

Findings:

  • Love how it has improved my posture. Feels great for my back and my shoulders.
  • I don’t slouch like I did in a chair. No more resting my elbow on the chair or my desk.
  • Can’t get as sleepy as I could sitting in a chair.
  • Feels like I have better blood flow and generally feel more active.
  • Legs and feet get sore after a while.
  • Would be really great to have a tall stool to rest my legs and feet throughout the day.
  • I’ve heard that a padded mat will help some with the feet hurting.
  • I find myself wanting to continue to stand at my desk even when my feet and legs are tired.
  • Many people within WCG and outside WCG on my social networks have either asked questions or shared their love for standing at their desk.

Insights:

  • Based on reactions and questions, I think there is a lot of interest both internally to WCG and outside of WCG for working at a desk while standing.
  • I believe that standing at my desk has made me somewhat more productive in my work day because I don’t get as sleepy and I feel more active throughout the day.
  • I also believe that I continue to want to stand at my desk because of how good my posture feels standing at my desk versus sitting.
  • Working at a desk may not be feasible for everyone since it does put a fair amount of stress on the feet and legs. Some may be able to stand for longer periods at a time than others. I think the key for some will be to have a tall stool so they can gradually work up to standing and working for long periods of time.

The next step for me is to get a tall stool to be able to rest my feet and legs throughout the day as they get tired. I may also want to look into a standing pad to reduce the stress on my feet. Standing has been worth the effort and I recommend it to anyone looking to improve their posture and their general health while at work.   Update 02/10/2012 I upgraded my setup to something a bit more sophisticated but still makeshift : )