Tips for Working at a Standing Desk
Like many, I work in an office. And recently, since I started to read articles on why sitting all day is horrible for your health, I have been wrestling with the idea of using a standing workstation.
I will be the first to admit it. I’m not in amazing shape, but I’m no couch potato either. I regularly go to the gym, bike every chance I get, and enjoy walking (weather permitting). But I am not entirely convinced that these activities make up for the endless hours I spend on my butt at my desk. That said, standing behind a desk for eight hours sounds a little intimidating, not to mention down right tough to do!
Isn’t sitting easy and standing hard? Well, maybe not. Standing in the same place for hours on end can be a challenge (and painful), but it doesn’t have to be. It is not enough to simply stand. You have to know what you are doing—taking the necessary steps to make the transition to a standing desk a snap.
Stand properly
Standing properly is not as easy as you might think. It takes skill and practice, especially if sitting is the main part of your daily routine. And to be clear, poor standing habits can be just as harmful as sitting all day long, so it is import to get this right.
To stand correctly, you need to balance your body over your feet. Squeeze your glutes to help align your spine over your pelvis. You don’t need to flex—you just want to keep everything engaged. While standing, make sure your weight is evenly distributed between your feet, feeling even pressure on the balls of your toes and heels.
Shoulder rolls
Computers have brought a ton of benefits, but they have also ushered in an era of hunched, slumped shoulders for millions of people. Although standing at a workstation will help alleviate this problem, it won’t entirely eliminate it. One of the best ways to say goodbye to the dreaded slumping shoulder syndrome is the shoulder roll.
Go for a short walk
Sure, standing is going to burn heaps more calories than just sitting all day. But going for the occasional walk once in while is going to loosen things up, and get the blood flowing. You don’t have to go for a full-blown hike—a five minute stroll every hour should do the trick.
Sit
Yes, that’s right. I said sit. You don’t have to be militant about standing all day. Just because you made the transition to a standing desk doesn’t mean you shouldn’t sit when you need to. Do you have a comfy chair, stool, or Swiss ball? Occasionally sitting is a good way to break up the monotony, plus it’s nice to lake a load off once in a while.
Use compression socks
Oh, and don’t forget to use compression stockings! I wear them for when I go jogging and when I’m stuck on those long flights. They make a world of difference for tired and achy legs, and getting used to long hours of standing at a workstation. If you plan on making the switch to a standing desk, I highly recommend tossing a few pairs of compression socks into your wardrobe.
Thinking about making the transition to a standing desk? Come in to meet with our compression stocking fitters today.
Are you currently using a standing workstation? We would like to hear your experiences!