Standing Desk

[Madhias]

I saw some standing desks or standing desk mods in the post your desktop thread, and we also do have one at work. I never used one before, so i made a test setup at home if i like it or not. If it turns out to be comfortable, i want to buy adjustable table legs. Are there recommendations? What to use and what not? Is it needless spent money or will my health status be way better than not using a standing desk setup? One problem is, that my wife already hates my idea, standing in the living room in front of the PC. I argue of course with Ernest Hemingway and that i will live longer and more healthy and that... now that's private.

This is my current setup, with some boxes to raise height including a place for beer or tea:



These are the table legs in which i am interested:

Spoiler:

[Khers]

I got a motorized desk for work a month ago and while I was initially rather sceptical, I have found myself standing rather often. When having a full day in front of the computer, I find it pretty nice to have some choice available. Furthemore, when having meetings in my office I've found multiple advantages. Easier to fit more people and shorter and more efficient meetings. I know of other people who, maybe, worked standing up once and then said it was not for them. But I rather like it

[Madhias]

As a compromise i found this monitor and keyboard & mouse stand:
http://www.uncagedergonomics.com/workez-standing-desk/

Spoiler:

[7bit]

Doesn't really look like a computer at work. More like a gaming console!

[Daniel]

I'm using a standing desk from IKEA for two years now. I'd definitely recommend it. Don't get non-adjustable standing desk. After you stood some time you'll be grateful to sit for a while

[rindorbrot]

I also got a motorized desk at work about a month ago. It really is noticably more comfortable to me when I did not sit troughout the whole day but spend also some hours standing.

If I had the space for it I'd be looking for such a desk for at home but unfortunately the roof constrains my vertical room so it is not an option currently.

So yes, from my side an adjustable desk is definitely a good idea. But I can't recommend any specific brands or anything...

[webwit]

Sorry.

Spoiler:

[Muirium]

You've likely seen my super cheapo standing desk. It's just one of these with a keyboard and display sitting on top:


http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/produ ... #/80178607

It looked like this until a few months ago: yes, that's a G4 iMac from all the way back in 2003!


http://deskthority.net/photos-f62/post- ... ml#p132333

I finally replaced that with a (2006 vintage) Mac Pro, and a shitty 20" Dell monitor. The old iMac was unsurpassed for adjustability. The "new" screen has none of that, so I have it sitting on top of a… drumroll… iPod Hi-Fi! I didn't pay a dime for any of these, by the way, they're all hand me downs. But that said the iPod Hi-Fi doesn't sound too shabby at all.

The total space taken up by my standing desk is essentially zero, as it's also a fully functional chest of drawers. And I really do use it quite a bit. 50-75% of my working time. I find I'm most comfortable working upright, by far, and over the couple of years I've had it in place I've gone from needing a break every hour or so to not consciously at all. I am a fidget, though, so I'm definitely taking breaks but without noticing them. Working on your feet makes it so much more convenient to slink off for another cup of tea or what have you. In a home environment like mine, I can't recommend it enough. Work, well, it's like the clicky keyboards issue. I wonder how easily I could get by with all my IBMs!

Getting used to standing desk work did take a bit of a transition for me, though. For a while I was getting sore shoulders and a tension at the bottom of my back; lower down than the pain I was already getting from too much sitting down! I got out some old dumbbells and made a routine of shoulder exercises with those, which helped pretty quick and has given my shoulders a more pleasing look again after years of forgetting all about weights. My back pain has vanished, as far as I can tell, without any more exercise than simply standing upright for hours at a time instead of sitting.

Anyway, mix it up. With ergonomic stuff like this, everything comes down to you as as individual, and to your habits in particular. You can't change you, but you can certainly work different.

[jacobolus]

For the last few months, I’ve been using an adjustable-height (motorized) desk, a computer display on an adjustable articulating arm, and a HÅG Capisco chair (very adjustable ergonomic chair that supports a wide variety of sitting positions).

It’s great!

I’d really recommend anyone who can spare $1000 bucks or whatever to get a motorized desk and chair that supports multiple sitting positions. Between standing, sitting with the chair in high saddle-seat type setup, sitting at low normal desk/chair type setup, reclining with the chair back tilted back, sitting backwards on the chair with my arms supported, etc., I can avoid staying too long in any particular position, and keep my body moving around a bit.

I find standing to be great for surfing the web, typing short bursts of prose, doing design work, editing photos, etc., but I like sitting at least part of the time when I’m writing longer things or writing code.

[Madhias]

The standing feels not that bad at all, after about 2 days of using this position. Yesterday it was about 4-5h, but not continuous, and today about 3h. Normally i do not try to surf the web on the PC or the Mac, only on the tablet. If i start surfing, or drifting away of what i wanted to do, i stop using the PC.

I’d really recommend anyone who can spare $1000 bucks or whatever to get a motorized desk and chair that supports multiple sitting positions.

I wrote a company from Germany for a quote for motorized adjustable table legs, which is about €600 including cable management and shipping.

...and a HÅG Capisco chair (very adjustable ergonomic chair that supports a wide variety of sitting positions).

A chair like the Capisco would be then the next step, for now i would try to stand, and sit then on a normal chair when the table is in sitting position again.

You've likely seen my super cheapo standing desk. It's just one of these with a keyboard and display sitting on top:
[image]

I've used a similar chest with my notebook, some months ago, but only for a short time. It was OK, since with the one we have there (also from IKEA) is also place for the feet (now there is no place anymore due to all the baby stuff):

I also got a motorized desk at work about a month ago. It really is noticably more comfortable to me when I did not sit troughout the whole day but spend also some hours standing.

Exactly that is what i want to achieve: sometimes it feels 'bad' or lazy to sit on front of the PC, and right now i really enjoy it to stand and 'move'. At work we are moving to a new office place, and that will be a good opportunity to get a standing desk there too.

[Muirium]

The lack of footspace with mine is probably a fortunate accidental safety feature. I'm clumsy enough I could turn and catch a toe under something that overhangs! My hover-typing style is just fine with me a little distance away from the front edge of the desk surface.

[Madhias]

I got the adjustable table legs last week, and found some time on the weekend to assemble everything. It is working like a charm, and more rock solid than my cheap solution with stapled boxes!



The quality is really good, it is about 30Kg in total without tableboard!



I also bought a box for cable management, which can be opened to easily access the cable chaos:

[Muirium]

Nice! You could put several screens on a solid support like that. And, in fact, you should! (Just make them all retina…)