If you are someone who has a normal office job and or working from home at the moment, you’ve come to the right place. With work slowly moving towards a work from home model, a lot of people need a good desk. And this is where deskbird standing desks come in.
These super cool desks were once considered only an office novelty. But their popularity has been on the rise recently. Nowadays, you will be seeing standing desks at home offices as well. So, what are the benefits of these?
This guide will tell you everything you need to know about standing desks and how to transition to one while making the most of it. So, let’s get started.
What Is A Standing Desk?
Standing desks are also sometimes called "stand-up desks." And they are exactly what they sound like. These premium desks allow you to stand up when you are working. It can be electrically powered or be manual. You can adjust the height of them to suit your needs and wants.
Higher-end models have multiple height adjustment options, that allows you to choose a comfortable position to stand in. Our deskbird desks in particular have memory settings which allows you to set heights that suit you. No adjustment needed, just a touch of a button and you are ready and comfortable. One thing you should know is that you do not always have to stand when using a standing desk. That would be quite tiresome.
You can choose to sit on your chair by lowering the height of the desk. And when you feel like standing up, simply raising the height according to your preference would do the job. They are versatile pieces of kit and are essential for any modern home office setup. And even traditional office spaces are quickly adopting standing desks for their workforce; with some companies even making it compulsory.
One of the main reasons why standing desks are becoming so popular is that they sort of negate the negative health effects of sitting for long hours. There are some undeniable benefits to using a standing desk.
Benefits Of Transitioning to a Standing Desk
It is not new information that sitting for long hours is bad for your health. There has been countless research done on this. You can take a look at this from the Mayo Clinic. Some of the dangers include the increased health risks.
This risk is similar to someone who is a heavy smoker or is obese. Some studies reveal that moderate to heavy exercise for 60 to 75 minutes can counterbalance it. Another very good alternative is using a standing desk. There are tons of health and productivity benefits.
If your blood sugar levels rise after a meal, it is bad for your health. And the effects are worse for someone who has type 2 diabetes. Standing after lunch helps reduce blood sugar levels. In fact, the sugar spike can be reduced significantly.
You can also alternate between sitting and standing to keep your sugar levels at moderate levels (handy if you’re like us and like snacking throughout the day!).
Obesity is a major problem for many individuals. And not everyone can find the time to squeeze in regular workouts into their busy routines. However, that does not mean you need to accept the fact that you are busy. Sure a standing desk won’t burn as many calories as a run but it sure will burn more than just sitting down on a normal desk. The benefit of a standing desk is that you can get creative with how you want to burn calories. You can put a treadmill or even an exercise bike under your desk if you wanted to!
Using standing desks will help you fight weight gain. But, let's make one thing very clear: exercise and dieting is the best way to burn calories. But you can also aid the calorie-burning process by choosing to stand rather than sit. Disclaimer: please talk to your doctor for personal health advice.
When you are sitting for long hours, it can get difficult to be mindful of your posture. This can then lead to back problems. The most common one is back pain. Back pain is the most common complaint amongst those who work in an office and have traditional desk jobs.
Studies have shown that standing instead of sitting for long hours can help reduce back pain. You can check out this research paper for more info. Participants in the study stated a 32% improvement after several weeks.
There is another thing that needs to be discussed here. As you can see, standing desks have their benefits. But they are magical. To get the benefits you need to consistently use the desk to its full potential.
When you are sitting down all day, you might start to feel lethargic and even stressed out. Those who use standing desks report having more energy throughout the day. And many believe it is down to one key thing: movement.
It can also help you with fatigue at work. Sitting down all day will cause you to feel tired much more quickly. By standing from time to time, you can reduce your levels of fatigue considerably. And this will surely give you a productivity boost as well. This brings us nicely to our next point.
Who doesn’t want a productivity boost? You will get more done, not to mention your employees or employers will be impressed as well. Standing desks may give you that productivity boost you've always wanted. Especially on Friday afternoons!
Standing for some time during work improves your mood and also gives you energy. This can lead to tangible improvements in your productivity. If you are wondering how that will affect your working abilities, well, there is nothing to worry about as deskbird offers free returns for 90 days on their standing desks.
A healthy heart is crucial to living a happy and healthy life. There was a study done way back in 1953 that linked standing to better heart health. The study was conducted on bus drivers and conductors.
It found that the conductors were 50 times less likely to suffer from heart disease as compared to their bus driver colleagues. The main reason was that conductors were mostly standing all day while bus drivers sat in the driver’s seat most of the time. As mentioned before, standing all day is not something we recommended. But we personally believe standing intermittently throughout the day is the best option. As it also reduces standing fatigue. Movement is key here.
Tips For Transitioning To A Standing Desk
As you can see, there are a ton of benefits to standing desks. However, you should not just jump out and pull the trigger. There are some steps you need to take to make sure your transition is fruitful.
If you have been using a normal desk and sitting all your life, there will be some getting used to it. This might feel a bit weird at first. But the benefits are worth it. Here are some helpful tips that will prepare you for the transition.
Know What You Need
This is the first important step. You should not just go out and buy the first standing desk you find. You need to know what your needs are. This is where some research is important. You need to look into the features that are most important to you.
What size is appropriate, and do you have any design preferences? Understanding all these details is pretty important before you commit to a standing desk. Things like dual motor, single motor, gas lift, manual etc can all get confusing, and we completely understand. We have been there before too! That is why we are happy for customers to ask us any questions they like about standing desks. Our support team is only an email or phone call away here in NZ.
Prepare For Some Adjustment
There will be a short adjustment period after you get your standing desk. There can be some minor inconveniences, but you will get used to them. You might feel awkward working while standing at the desk but after a week or so you may think to yourself, “why didn’t I transition to a standing desk sooner?”.
This adjustment period is mainly since most people are used to sitting in front of their desks all the time, so just a heads up on our part! A good tip that you should follow is to alternate between standing and sitting. Give it a week or two and you will start to love your brand-new desk.
Comfy Shoes And Floor Mats Are Your Friends
Unlike normal desks, you should consider investing in a comfortable ergonomic floor mat as well that provides support for you when standing. And if you want to go the extra mile, getting some comfortable shoes is worth it. With a comfortable anti-fatigue floor mat, you will have some extra cushion for your feet on top of that.
Standing is good for your body overall. But you still need something comfortable and soft for your feet to rest on. Otherwise, your feet and knees may start to feel uncomfortable (we don’t want that!). Having a floor mat will ensure you are as comfortable as you can be when you are standing.
The same goes for shoes as well. When you are working, try wearing comfy shoes. This will create even more cushion and make the experience much more comfortable overall.
Posture Is Important
All the standing desks in the world won't help you if you have bad posture. Be mindful of your posture. This will help you with back pain as well. Keep your back and shoulders straight. Contact your local doctor, physio or chiropractor for any further advice.
Sometimes, what feels comfortable to you might differ. So, you need to do some experimenting here. But, in general, reminding yourself to maintain a good posture is a good habit to learn and have.
Get An Adjustable Monitor Stand
We believe all monitors should have an adjustable monitor stand. Whether it is a monitor mount, a pile of old books or even a box! Having your monitor or laptop at eye level helps posture and is ergonomically healthy. Your back will thank you later! Your monitor should be at eye level at all times. This will keep you from tilting your head down and ruining your posture. And when you are standing, it allows you to look straight ahead as well.
Your computer can be just below eye level though. But make sure it is not too low where you need to tilt your neck. You should be able to glance down. Another important thing is to rest your arms on the desk as well.
This will take some strain and pressure off your shoulders and neck.
What Industries Prefer To Use Standing Desks
Standing desks are pretty universal. It makes no difference what industry you work in; anyone can benefit from a standing desk. If you are someone who has a traditional desk job and needs to stay in front of the computer for long hours, a standing desk can help you a lot. And we aren’t just saying that because we are deskbird, we are saying it because we truly believe it and there are studies to back it up too.
Usually, standing desks are quite popular with tech workers and the tech industry as a whole. You will see some in Google offices and even at Facebook and other Silicon Valley companies. Here in NZ, you may also notice more and more companies and public areas such as libraries using standing desks.
If you work in the creative industry, having a standing desk can be awesome. You can alternate between sitting and standing. As we mentioned earlier, this will improve your mood, which will also help to get those creative juices flowing.
If you are someone who typically has a lot of stuff on their desks, then pay attention to the maximum weight limit of your brand-new desk. You might be required to use a dual motor desk as a single motor standing desk may not last as long.
Since most standing desks nowadays are mechanized, you need to find the right spec for your needs. Figuring it out is pretty easy. High-quality standing desk manufacturers will usually list all the important specifications you need to know. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the deskbird team.
Deskbird: Freedom To Work and Move The Way You Want To
We at Deskbird believe that work shouldn’t do any harm to your health. Deskbird produces high-quality standing desks for every kind of person out there because we believe everyone can benefit from quality standing desks. Whether you are an area tech worker, a writer, or a marketing associate, we have something for you.
Our desks come with 10-year warranty on all parts and we have super easy return policies, and also free NZ shipping. You can check all the models available on our website.
Wrapping Up
Now, I hope you are ready to make your transition to a standing desk. The benefits are quite hard to ignore. Once you experience the positive influence these desks can bring, it can be quite difficult to go back. Be sure to test a standing desk when you get the chance, it may be the difference between a slow day and a fast day at work!
Feel free to contact us at deskbird if you have any questions regarding standing desks or our products!
