51–60 of 184 posts
I have two identical monitors mirrored screens, one on the standing and one on the sitting.
Then when I want to move to the standing or sitting position the only thing I have to move is my wireless mouse and keyboard.
I used a similar setup for quite a while, but the big drawback is that you can't conveniently switch between standing and sitting. Now I have a crank-operated height-adjustable desk that I really like, and it only cost $588. I bought this base http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NJUQVG and attached an Ikea pine tabletop ($60).
I have the exact same setup at home, and am also a fan. It works well, is cheaper than a lot of other pre-built solutions (although obviously not as cheap as the original post), and seems to be pretty well made. I'm also much happier with the idea of a hand crank than an electric motor. I also ended up getting an anti-fatigue mat as well. I thought that other standing desk folks were overrating the mats, but after th…
Not that I'm against standing– I do so myself to draft as it is much easier on my neck and back after many hours– but there will likely be consequences which easily negate the health benefits that come purely from standing vs. sitting.
It didn't work.
Even after months of practice, I found it harder to concentrate while standing and doing it any longer than a few hours would invariably result in back pain. I found myself turning to "sitting tasks" like movies and books frequently just to get a break, and it greatly impaired my productivity. It wasn't easy to admit that I had put such a huge amount of effort into a failed experiment, but that's what it was. I'm writing not to discourage people who might benefit from a standing desk from trying it, but to give people who have nagging doubts about their decision a chance to back out without feeling like an idiot. Eliezer Yudkowsky said once, "'Oops!' is the sound rationalists make when they level up."
For what it's worth, I'm 25, male, 6'0", and 130 lbs. I don't exercise regularly, but I live in an urban area in a third-story walk-up, and I don't drive. If you're thinking I gave up because I'm abnormally out of shape, I'm not.
I bought a similar Ikea side table for $10. I use a laptop so I can take it down and sit. No extra work for keyboard is required. And mine matches the color of the sitting desk.
If you're using your laptop keyboard and screen, you probably don't have things in the optimum position (hands too high, monitor too low).
The article he cites on the dangers of prolonged sitting is about research on prolonged sitting. That is indeed bad for you. However, so is prolonged standing. You are best off, and you can save $22, by keeping your normal desk and GETTING UP every 20 minutes or so and moving around. This avoids the problems with prolonged sitting, without incurring the serious risks of prolonged standing. See: http://ergo.human.corn…
[1] e.g., http://www.amazon.com/Boss-Drafting-Stool-Foot-Black/dp/B001...
Best part is that I was able to precisely size it for my home office, and have it at exactly the right height. Took a bit of getting used to, but it's one of the best investments I've made. Only issue now is that my window AC unit only keeps my feet cold, since the desktop is a few inches higher than the AC unit..
Personally, I feel both sitting and standing for long hours are uncomfortable and prefer walking. But a walking desk is hard to find for $22. I was able to build one for $80 using a used treadmill from Craigslist, free pallet boards made into a keyboard stand, and an old bookshelf to support the monitor.
I used to be an advocate of the standing desk. I bought an adjustable-height Fredrik workstation from Ikea, tried multiple heights to find the most comfortable, and stuck with it for six months. It didn't work. Even after months of practice, I found it harder to concentrate while standing and doing it any longer than a few hours would invariably result in back pain. I found myself turning to "sitting tasks" like movi…
I used to be an advocate of the standing desk. I bought an adjustable-height Fredrik workstation from Ikea, tried multiple heights to find the most comfortable, and stuck with it for six months. It didn't work. Even after months of practice, I found it harder to concentrate while standing and doing it any longer than a few hours would invariably result in back pain. I found myself turning to "sitting tasks" like movi…