More Fun with a Stand Up Desk

OK, so I'm constantly trying to find new ways of making my work day more fun. After all, I am a Graphic Designer and in general a high energy person. Health is also something that I take pretty seriously these days. So when I started reading about studies indicating that sitting all day is not good on our bodies, I began trying different methods to raise my Mac and secondary monitor so I could work standing up. Like for instance my first attempt was borrowing some paper reams from the nearby printer station and stacking them. This was fine for a little while until someone needed some paper for the printer and I had all of it. Then ultimately there are those times when sitting was necessary because maybe I had a bunch of paperwork that needed to all be out in front of me. OR, I just got TIRED OF STANDING! Which happened pretty quickly when I first started this adventure. Trying to switch between standing and sitting each time was becoming quite the chore and just wasn't going to be practical going forward. Standing was kind of fun. I found myself sort of dancing a bit when listening to music and in general had a more upbeat vibe than normal. I joked that mine was a dancing desk. So it was settled, standing while working is kind of awesome and I wish I'd tried it years ago. OK, so since I already had a workstation/cube desk, I needed to get an adjustable option that could sit on top of my existing desk. In comes the adjustable-desk. These puppies range in price from about $150 for the one pictured in the image above to several hundred depending on if you want a manual setup or one that is motorized. I went with a $150, 36in. wide, manual version to try out. It fits my 27in iMac and 27in secondary monitor perfectly and is easy to lift up and move back down due to the hydraulic pistons. You barely can tell all that weight is on top. I love it. Several people at my office have expressed interest in also purchasing one for their workstation with one already jumping up to an adjustable desk just last month (they love it too). In all, I really do enjoy standing while designing and working. I have more energy, my back feels much better as does my stomach/gut and I stand taller too! Of course there are times where my feet and ankles get sore and then I adjust back to a sitting position for a bit. After the first few weeks I was standing for most of the day thanks to the discovery online of special mats that cushion your feet while standing for long periods of time. Wow, was that a game changer. Now it's 2019 and the new hot item is an anti-fatigue mat that has various raised surfaces to keep you moving and allow for different stances throughout the day. The one I have has raised lips of varying heights and thicknesses along with several massage points which keep my feet happy and offer some fun ways of standing besides just flat footed and that really makes the anti-fatigue function of the mat much better in my opinion. After trying the mat out for a few days I can say that it's 100% necessary to get one or you won't enjoy standing for most of the day. Your back and ankles will thank you daily. So after about 6 months give or take of using the adjustable desk it shows no signs of wear and it still works the same as when I first opened the box it came in. Which by the way the product came completely assembled. All I had to do was take it out of the box and put it on my existing desk, and Bam! Do your research and find the brand and model that's perfect for you. Obviously an electronic, motorized desk is going to be the way to go if you can afford it, but as I've said the manual version is working out just fine for me. What are your thoughts on a standing workspace? Do you already have one or are you planning on purchasing? Let me know in the comments section. Some companies even offer them for free, you just need to inquire within. Well good luck everyone with the continued pursuit of the perfect, most comfortable workspace. Until next, Bark! Bark!