If This Isn't Your Way Of Standing On The Job, These Stand-Up Desks Might Be--Not To Mention They'll Help You Reduce Heart Attack And Stroke

As stated in the last post, sitting down all day at your desk is very bad for your health--indeed, it is considered now the "new smoking." As new research is being done on the effects of being sedentary on the job, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc, there is an emerging wealth of tips and design ideas for either buying or building your own stand up desk. The state of your health impacts the kind of life insurance policy you will qualify for, so it's appropriate that we make some remarks here about a way of working that will, as research is showing, significantly improve your health in a similar way to quitting smoking.

I have used a stand up desk in my studio at work for about 4 years now, and I would not work any other way. It is a large drafting table whose height I can adjust, as well as the angle of the surface itself. When I am tired of standing, I have a simple wooden stool that I sit on that keeps me from slouching or reclining back and drifting to sleep. (Indeed, I nap, but not at my drafting table. Instead, I have a small pillow stashed in my drawer that makes the floor behind my drafting table quite comfortable--at least for the 15 minutes that I maintain with military consistency).  For technology, I carry a small laptop into work, which I connect to an Apple Thunderbolt monitor and control with a wireless mouse and a wireless keyboard. The laptop can be operated with the wireless mouse and keyboard while in a closed position, which allows me to keep the laptop on a shelf under my drafting table out of the way of action. 

An important point here is that many of us spend more time at our jobs than in our homes or, really, any other 'place'. Thus how your workspace works for you is a vital part of optimizing not only your productivity but also your very well-being. These different models of stand-up desks, though merely scratching the surface of a growing body of knowledge about good workplace design, will help you get on your way. 

The basics of stand-up desk ergonomics: the table height should be at or slightly below elbow height.

Wirecutter has done extensive research on a number of standing desk models, which would be good to read. For their research, they ordered six different standing desks and tried them all out determining which ones worked best. There are two different kinds of standing desks: fixed-height and adjustable, the latter of which has a control panel tucked under its surface for convenient raising and lowering. Unfortunately, many of them are quite expensive, with the cheapest one retailing for about $500 and moving up from there into the $2000 range. Fixed-height stand up desks are great for those just getting into using them, and are the favourite of workspace diy hackers everywhere.  

Below is a mere sample of some great stand up desks.

High-End Designer Models

nextdesk Terra, with Apple monitor, wireless trackpad, and wireless keyboard. The desk has good surface space while looking very stylish. The height is controlled by a little panel that sits just below the man's right hand, for convenient adjustment. A well-recognized stand up desk in publications such as Wired Magazine.

The Max, by Geek Desk. 350 pounds of lifting capacity, 4 programmable height pre-sets, and an LED height display. This model boasts a more industrial aesthetic with a starting price of about $1000.

Ikea Hacks

There are some cool standing desk hacks that are made from Ikea furniture pieces combined in very creative ways. These hacks boast a much leaner price tag--a good kick-off point for those who want to give standing desks a try--and can be customizable. 

This corner floating desk is assembled with Ikea butcher blocks and some simple brackets. A great hack for about $200

This stylish stand up desk is created by fusing together an Ikea T.V. stand with Gallant table legs. The legs are adjustable, and the T.V. stand offers some cool storage for your various supplies. The total cost is under $200. 

For those with home offices, try fusing your standing desk with a book wall for this very stylish and practical hack. 

Famous Standers

Ernest Hemingway, replete with sweeping bay window and deer head--or is that a moose?

Winston Churchill, whom we've covered before in the Art of Napping. I don't see his day-bed there, but maybe it's somewhere off stage left...

Not simply a 21st Century phenomenon, offices in the 19th Century had combinations of sitting, standing, and communal desks. More on the history of the standing desk here.