I don't know if this belongs our style blog, but it's a lifestyle issue, and my ability to wear the clothes I love is tied to my health and fitness. I visited Minneapolis (very short trip, and I wish I could have met some StyleNation members,* but it was for 48 hours and I had many academic meetings, all fun). One of my dearest former professors had a rigged standing desk set up in his office at school. He had a few boxes, some made of wood, and stacked books. I have been intrigued with the standing desk for a while. You've probably read by now that scientists believe that
our sitting intensive lifestyles will kill all of us, no matter how much exercise we do when we're not sitting at a desk. As I've mentioned before, I am all torso height-wise, which is great for rocking a bikini but awful for sitting. Most chair and desk heights do not work for me, and like most I slump my shoulders forward. And I am fidgety and prefer standing most of the time (except in tall shoes), so today I took the plunge. Here's what I've done so far:
(yes there is a huge blue JOCKEY pamphlet in my junky file box. It's a coupon for future underwear purchases).
I've been standing a couple hours now and I notice that I can keep my shoulders back more easily. I sway a lot and fidget more. I walk away a bit easier to get water and go to the toilet and I can pace when I want to think. I will take some sitting breaks every so often. Oh, and I'm barefoot, although I am generally barefoot or at most be-socked in the home.
I will report back about my
Donald Rumsfeld experiment later this week (I go in on Thursday to teach but I plan to park my feet here for the most part). He's not the only one: Benjamin Franklin and Ernest Hemingway also reported used standing desks.
Would you consider a standing desk? How do you feel about sitting? Do you have a great ergonomic set up and good habits or do you need something more?
I did have the pleasure of seeing Sal, as she works on campus, for an hour. It was fun and uplifting. We talked about bikes, real estate, urban living, style, families. She is so full of lightness and joy, and had the best shoes. I highly recommend this.
Awesome. I saw that article, and I've been using Time Out to make myself stand up for fifteen seconds every 10 minutes, and then take a little three minute walk around the building once an hour. But I would totally consider a standing desk, I've been thinking about trying to get the ergonomics lady from HR in here to work with me on it over the summer. Let us know how it goes.
ReplyDeleteI have been considering trying to rig a standing desk as soon as the semester is over. I may try to grade about half of my students' final exams while standing.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how i'd feel about a standing desk at work... on the one hand, i'm never really comfortable sitting, but I don't know how helpful standing would be either - my posture is rubbish no matter what i'm doing.
ReplyDeleteat home i spend most of my time at my computer in my bed with about four huge pillows. it's the only time i'm ever comfortable working at my computer.
I'm intrigued to see how this goes. I always thought those treadmill desks were neat, though I don't know how practical they could be.
ReplyDeleteI has a co-worker who had a standing desk, and she loved it. I think it is a great idea, but since I spend so much time at a desk I think that my legs would get over tired from standing.
ReplyDeleteOh, I was going to mention Hemingway, but you beat me to the punch. Sometimes, when my back is giving me problems, I will substitute out my chair with an exercise ball and that works great to correct my spine alignment. So how long will you keep this up?
ReplyDeleteI remember reading an article about standing workspaces a few years ago in the ER when my youngest was quite ill. I sew and I have been thinking lately that I might want to change up my sewing table so that I stand when I sew. But then again, I have these lovely windows and raising my desk would obliterate them... It's a little less about posture and pain (and general health) for me and more about convenience and ease of moving to and from the table.
ReplyDeleteI would love to try a standing desk, but it's just not practical at my work, or at home.
ReplyDeleteI'm so envious that you met Sal!
I occasionally sit, but also some folks get a taller bar stool for breaks.
ReplyDeleteUgh, standing while grading has been hard. I think grading is just too unpleasant to try to do with any other kind of exertion (I find the train is ideal for grading).
ReplyDeleteI used to work like that too when I had a cold room. But then my elbows or back hurts. I think moving positions helps.
ReplyDeleteTreadmill desks are hard core! No space in our itsy Brooklyn apartment for that, though.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to make it a full time or at least 2/3 of the time switch. My partner is sitting behind me (where I am standing) shaking his head.
ReplyDeleteI've thought about that too, sewing and standing. I feel very crouched with I sew. Too bad adjustable height desks are a bit cost prohibitive.
ReplyDeleteMy prof just rigged up something like this. As it's good for one's health, perhaps an argument could be made in support of this from a health care cost savings perspective?
ReplyDeleteI met Sal over Fashion Week too. I am a lucky duck.
Swooper sounds fun!
ReplyDeleteHmm. This is the first I've heard of the standing desk, and I'm intrigued. I look forward to future reports on same.
ReplyDeleteHow does it work when people come to see you in an office?
ReplyDeleteI love the concept (I sit much too much these days) but I worry about the execution; I am so spread out on my desk working on my computer and projects I would need something bigger than a lectern. I am curious how your experiment goes!
ReplyDeleteWhen I started graduate school, I went from standing and walking around all day in a butterfly conservatory to sitting in class, sitting in museum collections working on databases, and sitting at home to do my coursework. And after two months of that intense sitting? I bruised my tailbone! Just from sitting on it all the time.
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