Height-adjustable desks are being utilized by workers around the world to battle unhealthy sedentary office life. Standing is like walking: It increases energy, burns extra calories, tones muscles, improves posture, increases blood flow and ramps up your metabolism. Follow these tips and tricks to make the most of your sit-stand experience.
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What to Know
- Start by setting some goals to incorporate movement into your day; track and challenge yourself to meet those goals.
- Monitor your fatigue level throughout the day; when you start to experience it, change your position. If seated, stand. If standing, sit.
- Be aware that you may experience some discomfort at first as your body adjusts to standing more throughout your day. You may be using muscles that haven’t worked much lately.
- When standing, assume the “at ease” posture, not “at attention.” Allow your body to move as it needs.
- If possible, try to choose a shoe that offers support — when standing, avoid shoes without heels as well as high-heeled shoes.
- Pace yourself as you learn which tasks you prefer to do standing versus sitting; let your intuition and your ability to stay focused guide your efforts.
- If you have to concentrate on a project intensely don’t feel bad about sitting: sometimes the body needs to direct most of its energy into a cognitive effort.
- When the phone rings, consider standing up to talk.
- Be sure to adjust the height of your display to your eye level; many monitor arms are designed to allow you to move the display to match your eye height in either sitting or standing posture, ensuring a proper ergonomic relationship. The top of the monitor should be at or slightly below eye level so that your eyes look slightly downward while viewing the middle of your screen. Your monitor should be about an arm’s length away and be tilted back 10 to 20 degrees so the top and bottom of the monitor screen are the same distance from your eyes. Your keyboard should be at elbow height and, if possible, titled so the rear slopes downwards at a 5 degree angle.
- Feeling tired? Stand up and take a couple of deep breaths, the oxygen boost will refresh you, and reinvigorate your muscles.
- Use alerts and reminders in software like Outlook or Lotus Notes to encourage yourself to stand more.
- Incorporate stretching into either seated or standing positions; movement helps keep you alert and can actually improve cognition. When ready, consider incorporating a few ankle and calf strengthening exercises; rock between your toes and heels, and your right and left foot.
