We have gone through different blogs on why adjustable standing desks are good and how they can be beneficial for your health. But one thing we haven’t really talked about is how to use your standing desk effectively. Why do we think this is important? Because in order to have the full benefits, you would need to use your standing desk in a somewhat good ergonomic position to enhance the promotion of good posture and ergonomics. So without further ado, here are 5 tips that will help you get the most out of your adjustable standing desk.
In no particular order.
1) What is the best height for your standing desk?
Lets begin with the ideal height of a standing desk. Now, it is important to remember that the best height will be different for each individual as we are all different in terms of size and height. There are many different recommendations out there but what we recommend is that the height of your standing desk should be at the level of your elbow or slightly below. This means, when you flex your elbow/arm to type on your laptop or keyboard, the angle should be at 90 degrees maximum. If your adjustable standing desk goes higher, this angle will change causing your arm to face towards a more upwards direction. This upward position is not ideal as it will cause your arm to be tired and increase the risk of injuries. We recommend that the best height for your adjustable standing desk to be is at your elbow level (90 degrees) or slightly below that (arms facing ever so slightly downwards) for comfort.
2) Using a monitor stand or laptop stand.
Now, the majority of standing desk users will be using either a laptop or monitor. Because of that we included this tip in our list as we feel it is very valuable. Using a laptop or monitor stand is a very effective way to maintain good posture. Generally, the direction of where you are looking at will somewhat determine the position of your neck and spine. Hence, if you are standing and then looking down towards your computer monitor or laptop, your neck will be curving inwards; this will differ from the ideal ergonomic position of your spine. However, if you have a monitor or laptop stand, you will be able to look straight while you work, thus promoting a better posture. There are lots of studies out there showing the positive effects of a good posture. It is important to remember that there are lots of ways to do this, you don’t have to use a monitor stand or laptop stand but you can actually just use any old books, magazines or blocks of wood to boost up that height and adjust it to your eye level. Whichever works best for you!
3) Alternate between sitting and standing.
We have talked about the importance of adjusting between sitting and standing in the last few blog posts. The reason is that it is a key and essential tip when using an adjustable standing desk. There have been studies done that prove that sitting too long or standing too long can be bad for your health. The best thing to do in our opinion is to alternate between sitting and standing at your adjustable standing desk. Alternating will not only reduce position fatigue but it will also help you feel more energetic and active. In terms of the time, everyone likes different ratios when sitting and standing. Some prefer to sit longer than others while some like to stand more than others; it depends on what works for you. We probably don’t recommend sitting or standing for more than 2 hours at a time.
4) Using an anti-fatigue mat when standing.
We all know that standing in an office may not be easy. The floors may be hard and your feet may hurt too. Even the best floor and carpet can cause your feet to hurt if your shoes aren’t the more comfortable (as we know not all offices allow you to wear comfortable sneakers in the office). Ideally, we would recommend comfortable sneakers when standing in order to reduce standing fatigue. But if that is not the case, then getting an anti fatigue mat may be the best solution. There are plenty of different anti fatigue mats available; even ones that have different shapes and pressure points to promote blood flow. Have a look out for standing ant- fatigue mats if you find that your feet hurt!
5) Have a good stretch and work on your posture.
This is not really a tip for your adjustable standing desks but more of a tip for any desk that you work at. It is one of the best tips as it works for everyone. Every desk is different and every office setting is different hence this tip works for most people. It is important to let your body move. Whether you’re sitting or standing, it’s important to break that up with a quick few stretches or even a quick 5 minute walk. Doing this helps with position fatigue. The other BONUS tip is posture. And the thing with posture is, we all don’t maintain perfect posture all the time; and it’s completely normal. Hence the last bonus tip is to try and improve posture. As mentioned before, a great posture is beneficial for your health and there are many studies out there showing this.
We hope this blog post and content has provided some information for you. If there is anything that you would like to add, feel free to let us know here at Deskbird NZ. We are always trying to evolve and change the way people view ergonomics.
Blog: 5 General tips when using your adjustable desk.
Blog by Deskbird NZ - trademarked Deskbird NZ.
Tags: Best, Best adjustable standing desk, Best NZ, Standing desks, standing desk, NZ standing desks, Standing desk NZ, Adjustable standing desk, electrical standing desk.
