How and why did I work at a computer while standing

Every day I work at a computer for 9–10 hours. Up until last week, I spent all this time sitting on my ever-expanding ass.

On Monday, I adjusted my desk to a standing position (pictured above) and spent a week working exceptionally while standing. I will never return to the seat now.

What made such a dramatic change in working posture?

From the moment I wrote an article about the symbiosis of a treadmill and a computer desk in 2006, I am interested and inspired by alternative workplace organization options. My work day, almost entirely consisting of knocking on the keyboard and talking on the computer, passes all in a sitting position, which is the main cause of the extra 9 kilograms. And I decided that in parallel with the work should be burned calories.
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Building a table at the base of the treadmill is affordable, it takes up space and I’m not even sure what I like. A high table, however, is possible to acquire. In July 2010, I again wrote about how to make a workplace out of a treadmill, only by the example of a specific Ikea Jerker table. Then I mentioned that it is very easy to adjust to any height.

I was finally convinced three things. First, thanks to the reports of the RescueTime program, which I analyze the time spent at the computer, I realized how many hours I spend in a sitting position (last week - 48). Secondly, now I am actively trying to lose weight (5.5 kg in three months), and this would be a little bit, but it would help in losing weight. Finally, Macworld, in its instructions for organizing the table / treadmill, clearly recommended first “getting up” and then “going”, and not immediately moving from a sitting position to a walking position.

Why use a “standing” table?

For two reasons: burning calories and better posture. Even when I sit in a trendy ergonomic chair, I can not avoid leaning forward with a bent back, which has a harmful effect on breathing. Standing, forearms are at a table at an angle of 90 degrees, and shoulders go back, straightening his back and opening his chest. The only drawback is the pain in the feet and muscles of the legs, but this is only for the first time.

With my therapist, I did not discuss the transition to the “standing” table, although I know that there have been some studies about the negative effect of excessive sitting. And even though I am not a doctor, it seems to me obvious that people are not created to be in the chair 45 hours a week. Now I walk, dance and move a lot more, which has a positive effect on the number of calories burned per day.

But don't your legs hurt?

Sore, very. The first three days were so terrible that I began to doubt the idea. In the middle of the second day I felt the need to crouch about every hour. The pain in the legs distracted from affairs and prevented focus on anything. In the evening I sat down on the sofa and stretched my legs in the air. I fell into bed exhausted. I have never enjoyed sitting like in those three days.

On the fourth day everything got better. On the fifth, I went to work for two hours before I remembered that I hadn’t squatted yet. Now this is a normal condition for me.

How did you make your table “stand-up”?

I have Ikea Jerker, which you saw in the photo above (alas, they stopped releasing it). A feature of this table is the ability to lift the cover to any height, which took me three hours. Since I cannot boast of will power, I wanted to make the changes as irreversible as possible. In order to return the sitting height to the table, it will take another half day of fuss, which I will not have any desire to do in the foreseeable future. In addition, there is always a dining table for seating.

If you are not lucky with the presence of an easily adjustable table, you can always find a temporary solution:



You can also just buy it .

So what about those treadmills?

They are cool, right? But I am not sure that the day will come when I will start walking while working at the computer. I will not even think about it until I have been standing for several months.

What shoes do you wear?

Normal, good quality sneakers. A change of shoes seems to help the feet. Sometimes I even stand barefoot, although I can't stand it for a long time.

Is there a soft mat under your feet? If yes, which one?

Not yet, but already ordered. Not fashionable gel for $ 100, and the usual for $ 25, like those that put under the feet of the cashiers. Deliver must this week, I will tell you about my impressions later.

Still used something to change the working posture?

I bought a monitor stand for $ 20 to look at it directly, not from top to bottom.

How long did it take to get used to stand all day?

The process is not over yet, but I have already experienced the worst. I started on Monday, and on Friday I already felt comfortable. Monday – Wednesday were heavy, I will not hide it.

Are you taking sit-ins?

Yeah. I sit down at lunch, when they call, at meetings, and maybe a couple more times for 5-10 minutes, if necessary. Once I was pretty tired, so I decided to go to the cafeteria to have a drink and let my legs rest. But most of the time I don’t even think about it.

It is worth noting that excessive standing is fraught with possible health problems, in particular, varicose veins. But problems arise in the redundancy of anything. Personally, I am not on my feet ALL the time - I sit, stand, pace and do a little exercise. I used to sit for the most part , now I mostly stand.

Who else uses "standing" tables?

More people than I expected, especially among IT people! Former Twitter developer and BankSimple creator Alex Payne , Instapaper creator Marco Armen , renowned podcaster Dan Benjamin , writer Philip Roth , former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld , Lifehacker editor Jason Fitzpatrick, countryman from San Diego Mitch Wagner , director of the Ukrainian branch of Yandex Sergey Petrenko . Who else?