Today, when we write this blog post about adjustable standing desks and ergonomics we will be doing it partially standing and partially sitting. Why? Because it helps us with energy levels. And that is the exact reason on how we came up with the idea of this blog post. We thought we would get one of our team members here at Deskbird NZ to talk about how they work and what their routine was like when working with an adjustable standing desk. This blog is going to be a bit different from our standard ergonomics and standing desk blogs as it is more of a story instead of a blog.
Adjustable standing desks have somewhat changed how we work, and probably changed it forever; for the better. Fixed height desks in general have been around for a long long time, and standing desks for quite a while too. But it’s only recently in the past decades has it started to really ramp up and become popular, especially the motorised versions of the standing desk which are adjustable; this is not only the case around the world but also here in New Zealand. Why is that? We don’t have the exact answers but we believe it is due to more health conscious consumers and just everyone wanting to be healthier in their daily life.
Here is New Zealand, most of us work at our desks over 8 hours a day in the working week; this adds up to lots of hours over a month, year and lifetime. In a sense, whether you have an adjustable standing desk or just a regular desk, you could almost say that our desk could be equivalent to our bed at home. We spend roughly 7-8 hours on our bed every day and the same on our desk (excluding weekends of course, but you know what we mean). If you live in New Zealand, you may have heard ads on the radio talking about how humans in general spend the most time on their bed. I guess you could say a similar thing about desks, we believe that is a big reason why adjustable standing desks have become so popular.
With adjustable standing desks growing in popularity, it benefits staff, colleagues and people in general. Not only does being able to stand and sit at your desk help with movement, but it also helps with back pain, increased productivity and more energy. This not only benefits employees, but employers too. Don’t just take that from us or our previous blogs; there have actually been many studies on adjustable standing desks and the effects of standing and sitting during work and how it affects people's health. Go check it out, they are all interesting reads. Alrighty, let's get on to the story but of this blog.
Whether you’re doing admin, catching up on emails or just doing some serious studying, an adjustable standing desk can really help. And no, standing all day is not the right answer, as standing 8 hours a day would be quite tiring and we definitely don’t recommend it. We have all experienced back pain when sitting too long in one way or another, and believe me it does get uncomfortable over time. So when I first discovered adjustable standing desks, it was more of a relief. I had seen standing desks at NZ universities and other offices but I have never actually used one before; and I don't know why. I guess, I thought it would just require more energy standing and I was just lazy so I never really tried it out. I mean, why would you want to stand and work for hours when you can sit? Well, that’s what I thought people did, stand most of the day on their desk. And for that reason I never thought about trying standing desks. I mean, why pay money to stand when you can sit at your desk? Soon after, I actually realised that you aren't meant to stand for hours and hours on your desk; the key was movement and alternation which is where the adjustable bit comes in. The key to improving my day and increasing energy levels was actually to move and alternate between sitting and standing. For me, it's being able to move with the adjustable standing desk that helps my energy levels.
My standing desk routine varies based on how my back feels and how fatigued I am at work. Or whether it’s a Monday morning or a Friday afternoon. (we all know how it feels, standing up on your standing desk on a Friday afternoon is much easier and feels a lot better than standing up on a Monday morning). In the morning when I get to work, I usually sit whilst I work on the desk for about 1-2 hours, then I will usually adjust the standing desk up, have a stretch and stand for about 30 mins. For me, that is usually the timing I stick to as it works and is comfortable for me. If I sit any longer than 2 hours, my lower back starts to feel a bit tired and sore. But if I stand for over 30-45 mins I also start to get a bit tired and want to sit down. This time split really helps me with focus as I find that sitting too long causes me to lose concentration at about 1.5 to 2 hours in. This is also the case after lunch and the late afternoon when I start to feel a little sluggish especially after a heavy or carb loaded lunch; the adjustable standing desk really helps out. One thing for me is the type of work I am doing often dictates whether I am sitting or standing on my standing desk. When I often do tasks that really require a lot of my attention and require deep thinking I usually do it sitting as it allows me to fully look down and concentrate; it’s just how I prefer to work. While other tasks such as replying to emails, general admin and group discussions are really handy standing as they usually don't require as much focus and intensity which allows me to stand, stretch and burn a few extra calories. The routine of having intervals of sitting and standing at my desk has really helped my workflow and productivity. It’s hard to describe what it feels like, but it feels comfortable and free. We recently got a walking pad and treadmill in the office which may also change things too. Looking forward to trying that one out.
You can get your adjustable standing desk here.
How my adjustable standing desk helped me improve my energy levels and get me through the day.
Blog by Deskbird NZ - trademarked Deskbird NZ.
Tags: Standing desks, standing desk, NZ standing desks, Standing desk NZ, Adjustable standing desk, electrical standing desk.
